i.f Mj m j t at ' M ioOtgp', 
 

 Qfornell IniticrattH 2Iibratg 
 
 atljara, Nsm ^nrk 
 
 CHARLES WILLIAM WASON 
 
 COLLECTION 
 
 CHINA AND THE CHINESE 
 
 THE GIFT OF 
 
 CHARLES WFLLfAM WASON 
 
 CLASS OF 1876 
 
 1918 
 
Cornell University Library 
 DS 725.B39P7 
 
 Pomearanate :the story of a Chinese scho 
 
 3 1924 023 507 803 
 
The original of tiiis book is in 
 tile Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924023507803 
 
^l-^i-l^^-^-'K^ 
 
 POMEGRANATE 
 
 THE STORY OF 
 A CHINESE SCHOOLGIRL 
 
POMEGRANATE 
 
 THE STORY OF 
 A CHINESE SCHOOLGIRL 
 
 JENNIE BECKINGSALE, B.A. 
 
 AUTHOR OF 
 "CHILDREN OF CATHAY" 
 
 MORGAN & SCOTT Ltd. 
 
 (Office OF " ©IjE (Kljriaiiatt") 
 12, PATERNOSTER BUILDINGS 
 LONDON MCMX 
 
. 'I 
 
 ( 
 
 B3^^ ' 
 
 \^l'i1)S4 
 
Contents 
 
 I. The Village of Chen-chia-kou 
 II. Pomegranate's Mother 
 
 III. Beauty's Wedding . 
 
 IV, Sowing the Seed 
 V. Pearl's Story 
 
 VI. Excitement at Chen-chia-kou 
 VII. Working for the Master . 
 VIII. Going to School 
 IX. The First Day at School . 
 X. Pomegranate in Trouble . 
 XI. The Last Day of the Term 
 XII. Home for the Holidays 
 
 XIII. Reaping the Harvest 
 
 XIV. The Competition 
 
 PAGE 
 I 
 
 31 
 
 40 
 
 49 
 58 
 64 
 75 
 83 
 90 
 
 95 
 102 
 112 
 
Contents 
 
 CHA-PTER ' 
 
 XV. The Spoiled Book . 
 
 XVI. A Miserable Day 
 
 XVII. Light after Darkness 
 XVIII. A Chinese Meal . 
 
 XIX. The Wanderer's Return 
 XX. The Lost Earrings 
 XXI. Plans for the Future 
 
 PAGE 
 I20 
 
 132 
 
 142 
 
 152 
 
 157 
 173 
 
Glossary 
 
 Cash. The name of a Chinese copper coin, in value about 
 one-thirtieth of a penny. 
 
 K'ang. a platform of mud-brick, hollow underneath, which 
 is used in Chinese cottage homes as a bed. It can be 
 heated by a fire below. 
 
 Ta-yie, Grandfather. A respectful title for an old man. 
 
 Tai-tai. Exalted one. The title of a married lady of 
 superior position. 
 
POMEGRANATE 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 The Village of Chen-chia-kou 
 
 "T)OMEGRANATE! Pomegranate!" called a 
 J[7 white-haired old woman, standing at the 
 doorway of her little home, and peering into 
 the fast-gathering twilight. " Where can the child 
 be ? It is time for her to be home, helping me with 
 the supper." And again she called shrilly through 
 the gloom. 
 
 " Coming, coming ! " answered a sulky, girlish 
 voice. " It is not time for supper yet, and we 
 were just having a game after school," 
 
 "You must help me with the fire," said the 
 
 grandmother, Mrs. Fan ; " my bones ache to-day, 
 
 the winter is coming on. I have prepared the 
 
 paste and rolled it out; now you must keep the 
 
 I 
 
2 Pomegranate 
 
 water boiling while I throw in the dough-strings. 
 I am not strong enough to blow the bellows after 
 mixing the meal." 
 
 So Pomegranate sat down on a brick beside the 
 stove, and with her left hand thrust brushwood 
 under the great iron pot, while with her right hand 
 she pushed the handle of the '' wind-box " in and 
 out, thus driving the air through a tube to the 
 fireplace. The wood crackled merrily ; the water 
 bubbled. In went the dough-strings, and soon 
 supper was ready. 
 
 While Mrs. Fan ladled out bowlsful of the steam- 
 ing food and set it on the table, with a jar of vinegar, 
 a saucer of salt, and another of cayenne pepper pods, 
 chopped and soaked, little Pomegranate rose from 
 her cramped position and called loudly, " Grandfather, 
 food is ready." 
 
 "That is good news," said a tall old man, 
 coming in from the darkness with a large bundle of 
 dry stalks on his back ; " now the nights are cold, 
 and darkness falls early, I want my supper when I 
 come in." 
 
 Reverently standing, with bent head, the old man 
 asked a blessing on the meal, and then sat down on 
 the wooden bench to enjoy it, while his wife ate hers 
 sitting crossed-legged on the bed, and Pomegranate 
 returned to her brick by the stove. 
 
The Village of Chen-chia-kou 3 
 
 " Winter is coming on apace," said Mr. Fan. " It 
 is cold work clearing the fields of the cotton plants, 
 but we shall have plenty of brushwood to burn for 
 a month or two." 
 
 " I wish you would speak to Pomegranate, and 
 tell her to come home straight from school," said 
 the old grandmother. " She plays about with other 
 children, and does not come in till the food is nearly 
 ready." 
 
 " How is this, little one ? " asked her grandfather. 
 " Does not your teacher dismiss you in good time ? 
 Remember your grandmother is getting old, and 
 you are young and strong." 
 
 Pomegranate hung her head and sulkily mumbled 
 something while she cleared away the empty bowls 
 and chop-sticks. 
 
 " She is getting too much for me to manage. 
 She will not obey me, and though I send her off 
 in good time she is often late for school. Alas ! 
 I fear she is like her mother, and will follow her 
 example." 
 
 " Oh no ! we will hope not," said her husband 
 cheerfully. " We were not Christians when we trained 
 her mother, and now we know the right Way, we 
 will try and win her by love." 
 
 " But she will not let me unbind her feet," com- 
 plained the old woman. " She says she will not be 
 
4 Pomegranate 
 
 the only one in the village to have big feet like a 
 slave-girl, and have all the others laugh at her." 
 
 " Ah ! " said the old man, with a heavy sigh, " it 
 was our mistake to bind her feet in the first place. 
 We know now that God intended men and women 
 alike to have natural feet, and that we sin when we 
 try to alter His pattern ; but the fault we committed 
 in our ignorance is bearing fruit now. The child 
 will not listen, you say ? " 
 
 "No, she runs away from me to play with the 
 other children, and she listens to their talk, and will 
 not allow me to take off her bandages." 
 
 " Well, we will ask her teacher, Mrs. Wang." 
 
 Many years before our story opens, Mr. and Mrs. 
 Fan, then young and strong, were driven from their 
 home in a distant province by a long and cruel 
 famine. Though China is so large and fertile that 
 it produces ample food for its great population, the 
 means of communication inland are so primitive 
 that when crops fail in one district famine is the 
 result, though there may be abundance of food in 
 a neighbouring province. Carts and pack-mules 
 are very expensive, and travelling over the rough 
 roads and mountain paths is very slow, so that by 
 the time supplies of rice and wheat reach the 
 stricken district the price of the foodstuff is too 
 
The Village of Chen-chia-kou 5 
 
 high to be within the reach of the needy people. 
 So those who are able flee to a more prosperous 
 part, hoping to return when better times come; 
 whilst the aged and weak perish by hundreds and 
 thousands in the desolate famine area. In due time 
 Fan and his wife, with the companions of their 
 flight, reached a fertile land where food was plentiful 
 and the people friendly. With the clannishness 
 which marks the inhabitants of the different pro- 
 vinces of China, they preferred to dwell by them- 
 selves rather than hire houses in the villages scattered 
 over the plain ; but money to build was lacking, so 
 for a temporary dwelling-place they chose a deep 
 gully in the cliffs bordering a wide river-bed, and 
 there scooped out caves in the soft and loamy soil. 
 
 Content with the barest necessaries, and craving 
 no luxuries, they made their little homes. The iron 
 pots, carried laboriously from the deserted homes 
 of the past, were fixed in frames of mud-brick for 
 stoves. Shallow platforms of mud-brick, hollow 
 below, formed their beds, a fire being lighted 
 underneath to give grateful warmth in winter. 
 Small hollows scooped in the walls of the cave 
 formed their shelves, straw mats plaited by the 
 women were their seats. Before wood could be 
 purchased to make the doors, rough bundles of the 
 interlaced stems of plants were hung before the 
 
6 Pomegranate 
 
 openings of the caves. Grants of land at an easy- 
 rate were obtained from the authorities ; and though 
 the months of ploughing and sowing were long and 
 hard, and the winter of waiting was full of privation, 
 yet the sight of the upspringing grain in spring-time, 
 and the ripening of the wheat in early June, brought 
 to an end the sorrows of the emigrants, and a full 
 crop rewarded their patient efforts and the long 
 suffering so cheerfully borne. 
 
 As the years went by, Mr. Fan and his neigh- 
 bours became accustomed to their surroundings, and 
 grew to love the little gully with its prospect of 
 green fields and the shining river beyond. News 
 of the death of their parents broke the ties which 
 bound them to their former home, and they gave 
 up the thought of return which had once been so 
 strong within them. Gradually they paid off the 
 debts which had been incurred in the early years, 
 and as prosperous seasons succeeded one another, 
 land was bought, little comforts were added to the 
 frugal homes, doors and tables and chairs were seen 
 in the caves, and the women and children lost the 
 hunger-haunted look and became happy and con- 
 tented in the settlement. The dwellers in the tiny 
 market-town, not far away, called it the Valley of 
 the family Chen, as that was the surname of the 
 largest and most influential family among the 
 
The Village of Chen-chia-kou 7 
 
 emigrants. So Chen-chia-kou became a well-known 
 village, its people visited the markets and attended 
 the annual fairs ; they were recognised as law-abiding 
 and industrious people, yet because they came from 
 another province they never mixed very closely 
 with the old inhabitants, but retained the dialect 
 and manners of their former home. 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 Pomegranate's Mother 
 
 DURING the toilsome journey from one pro- 
 vince to another, Mrs. Fan's little baby had 
 died, and she never had any more children, 
 to the great sorrow of herself and her husband. So 
 when the harvest was plentiful and the prospect was 
 bright, she said one day, " Let us find a child who 
 has no parents, and bring it into our family. It can 
 take our name, and we will bring it up as our own, 
 for I am lonely in the home without my baby." 
 
 Mr. Fan was delighted with the idea, for he had 
 a large, kind heart, and began at once to make 
 inquiries among his acquaintances as to suitable 
 children. 
 
 But the weakly ones had died, and those who 
 remained were precious to their parents, so Mr. Fan 
 had to go among the native villages and ask 
 those whom he met at the fairs and markets, and 
 at last he heard of a poor little baby girl whose 
 
Pomegranate's Mother 9 
 
 parents were both dead, and who was being cared 
 for by a woman who had many children of her own, 
 but could not let the little orphan starve. Mrs. Fan 
 took the tiny child to her motherly heart, and fed it 
 with broth and sopped bread, and carefully nursed it 
 through its early years till it grew into a bonny little 
 girl whom they named Beauty. When the child was 
 about five years old, Mrs. Fan commenced to bind 
 her feet, according to Chinese custom, bending the 
 four smaller toes under the sole of the foot, and 
 keeping them in place with bandages. Beauty was 
 pleased at first, for she wished to be like the neigh- 
 bours' children and have pointed feet, but when the 
 bandages were tightened and the foot became swollen 
 and painful, she rebelled. 
 
 " I will not have the bandages on ! " she screamed. 
 " You shall not bind my feet ! " 
 
 " Naughty girl," said Mrs. Fan, " would you be a 
 disgrace to the family and grow up with ugly big 
 feet ? " 
 
 " I don't care," cried the child ; and hideous threats 
 and curses fell from the baby lips, while Mrs. Fan 
 bound up the strips of calico which had been 
 disarranged by her struggles. 
 
 " What a fine spirit she has," said Mrs. Fan 
 admiringly to her husband, when, at last, worn out 
 by her temper, the child lay asleep on the bed. 
 
lo Pomegranate 
 
 " Did you hear how she cursed me ? How soon 
 she picks up things." 
 
 " We shall have a difficulty to make her obey us," 
 said Mr. Fan. 
 
 " Oh, never mind, she is but a baby yet," said his 
 wife, little thinking that habits formed in childhood 
 persist in mature life. Childish tempers, tricks of 
 pilfering, lying, and swearing seem only amusing to 
 Chinese women ; and they sadly wonder, when their 
 children grow up to be a sorrow to them, how it 
 came about that such bright children have turned 
 out so ill. 
 
 Presently little Beauty was able to hobble about 
 and play with the other children as usual, and 
 learned to run quite quickly on her heels with an 
 awkward shuffling gait. When Mrs. Fan tried to 
 teach her to sew and cook, she was lazy and dull, 
 and would try to escape and get away into the fields 
 on the top of the cliffs above the caves. She grew 
 to have a sulky, bad-tempered expression, and 
 showed little gratitude to the kind-hearted people 
 who had adopted her when she was a helpless baby. 
 Many a time Mrs. Fan wept over her idle ways 
 and rude answers. Many a time was she whipped 
 for stealing. The neighbours disliked her, and would 
 not allow her to enter their dwellings, and so she 
 grew up into womanhood discontented and unduti- 
 
Pomegranate's Mother n 
 
 ful, in spite of all the care lavished on her by Mr. 
 and Mrs. Fan. 
 
 " We must get a husband for her," said Mr. Fan 
 when she was about fifteen. 
 
 " But no one in the village will have anything to 
 do with her," said his wife. " No mother-in-law 
 wants a girl as idle as she is." 
 
 " Well, I have heard of a young man who has 
 come over lately from our province ; his parents are 
 dead, and he would come and settle in our village 
 if he could find a wife," said Mr. Fan. " Then we 
 should not have to part with Beauty, and could 
 keep her near us." 
 
 So the loving old couple made their plans for the 
 welfare of the ungrateful and selfish girl. A match- 
 maker was employed to arrange all the preliminaries 
 and settle the amount of the dowry. The young 
 man could not pay a large sum for his bride, neither 
 could he provide a good home for her, but his 
 demands for gifts of furniture were also small. 
 During the year after the betrothal he sent various 
 presents to Beauty. She was greatly pleased with 
 the silver earrings enamelled with blue that hung 
 almost to her shoulders, and with the hair-ornaments 
 which were his first gift. But Mrs. Fan thought 
 more of the rolls of coarse red, purple, and green 
 calico which were intended for the bride's outfit, and 
 
12 Pomegranate 
 
 she was especially pleased with the length of fine 
 glazed blue calico from the distant city, and the 
 black sateen with which it was to be trimmed. 
 
 When the travelling hawker sounded his rattle, 
 Beauty was among the first to leave her task and 
 run to turn over his wares, choosing bright sewing 
 silk, gay trimming, and brass buttons with a lavish 
 hand, so that Mrs. Fan's little store of cash was 
 sadly taxed ; but when the garments were cut out, 
 and the stitching had to be done, then Beauty 
 found her interest slacken, and on Mrs. Fan fell the 
 greater part of the work. 
 
 Beauty made for herself a tiny pair of red satin 
 shoes for the little feet which had almost ceased to 
 pain her after ten years of compression, and spent 
 much time in covering them with fine embroidery. 
 She also worked a fine silk handkerchief to carry on 
 her wedding-day, and two pieces of white calico in 
 black silk cross-stitch, to bind round her ankles 
 above the shoes. From scraps of satin she made 
 little scent-bags to dangle from the buttons of her 
 gown, and cut out fancy paper patterns to adorn the 
 windows of her house. 
 
 Old Mr. Fan sold nearly all his crop of cotton 
 that autumn, only reserving enough to make a new 
 wadded quilt for Beauty, and to pad her winter 
 garments. With the money he planned to buy 
 
Pomegranate's Mother 13 
 
 some furniture for her home. The first things to 
 arrive were two brilliant scarlet boxes in which tor 
 pack her trousseau, and next a brass hand-basin. 
 Later on, a fine young calf was sold, and this 
 enabled Mr. Fan to visit the great winter fair in a 
 neighbouring city, where household goods of all 
 descriptions were sold. 
 
 A large open space outside the city wall was 
 covered with booths and tents. Arranged in alleys, 
 the merchants spread their wares for sale, goods of 
 the same kind being sold in one particular part of 
 the fair. 
 
 Quaint, old-fashioned garments, beautifully em- 
 broidered, fur- lined coats, and wadded trousers, silk 
 skirts, and gay kerchiefs were exhibited by the old- 
 clothes sellers. 
 
 Basket-work of every description, brushes, brooms, 
 sieves, wooden spades and forks occupied the stalls 
 in the next row. Then came crockery merchants, 
 with their dainty teapots and cups, vases, bowls, and 
 dishes, with the dragon painted in brilliant colours. 
 Then came the booths with paper lanterns displayed 
 for sale, with gay designs and quaint shapes. Then 
 the carpenter's wares, to which Mr. Fan turned his 
 attention. 
 
 " What are you looking for, aged sir ? " asked the 
 carpenter respectfully. 
 
14 Pomegranate 
 
 " Oh, nothing of consequence," answered Mr. 
 Fan, "merely a little household furnishing." 
 
 " Ah, no doubt you have a public event soon to 
 take place in your family," said the man. " Is your 
 beautiful daughter about to enter her mother-in- 
 law's home ? " 
 
 " That is so," said Mr. Fan. " What is the price 
 of that set, a table and two chairs ? " 
 
 " That set," replied the carpenter, " is exactly on 
 the model of the set I supplied to the chief magistrate 
 of the city a month ago. The varnish is of hardness 
 and brilliancy unsurpassed in this district. The 
 wood is of such quality that it may descend from 
 father to son through many generations. Fifteen 
 ounces of silver is the price I ask, only fifteen for 
 this excellent table and chairs." 
 
 " Fifteen, indeed," said Mr. Fan. " You open your 
 mouth too wide, my friend. I offer you five ; if you 
 do not care to accept it, there are other carpenters 
 near. I shall make my bargain elsewhere." 
 
 " You are pleased to be merry," said the carpenter, 
 laughing heartily. " It is a very good joke, five ounces 
 of silver for a table and two chairs. You have 
 amused me so much that I will abate my price and 
 we will settle the matter for fourteen ounces." 
 
 " See, there is a flaw in the varnish," said Mr. 
 Fan ; " the table-legs are uneven, the chair-backs are 
 
Pomegranate's Mother 15 
 
 not straight. It is a poor set; not a cash more 
 than six ounces will I give." 
 
 " You are free to walk round the fair and buy a 
 set for six ounces where you can, venerable friend," 
 said the carpenter. " I shall see you back before 
 long, and for thirteen and a half ounces you will 
 carry away this magniiicent furniture." 
 
 " Good-day," said Mr. Fan, moving off. 
 
 He had not gone far when the carpenter over- 
 took him, just as he was examining some furniture 
 at another stall. The salesman was busy with 
 another customer, and the carpenter said to 
 him : — 
 
 " Why should a matter of a few ounces part us ? 
 I have some very useful little pieces which I will 
 add to the set ; a mirror, perhaps, or a charcoal 
 brazier which is still good, though it has seen some 
 wear. Come back with me, and look once again 
 at the goods in my shop." 
 
 So Mr. Fan, who really wanted the furniture, 
 allowed himself to be led back again, and after a 
 little more bargaining he purchased the table, two 
 chairs, and a couple of useful wooden benches for 
 the sum of nine ounces of silver. In another part 
 of the fair he bought a rug of red felt, some sheets 
 of red paper, some ounces of tea and spices, and 
 a few saucers, in preparation for the wedding feast. 
 
1 6 Pomegranate 
 
 Meeting two men of his acquaintance, from a village 
 near Chen-chia-kou, he arranged with them to carry 
 the furniture home at night for him, slung from a 
 pole to be carried between them. Then he 
 wandered about in search of amusement, as his 
 money was nearly all spent and he could make 
 no more purchases. 
 
 Presently Mr. Fan grew tired and wished to rest 
 before starting on his long walk home. He heard 
 a man loudly calling, " Friends and brothers, come 
 and sit awhile and listen to good words. There is 
 no charge, all is free. Come and hear the words 
 of eternal life." The man was standing on a small 
 platform erected under a mat-shed, which also 
 covered several rows of benches, where a few people 
 were sitting. Mr. Fan joined them, and soon a 
 small audience had gathered. The preacher, with 
 one or two helpers, sang loudly and clearly a hymn, 
 describing the longings men have for peace and joy, 
 and the fear of hell. 
 
 " Brothers," said the preacher, " you know that 
 the one word no man likes to hear is ' death.' We 
 will not use this word if we can help it. Enemies 
 use it to curse one another. We dread to think of 
 the death of our bodies. And why ? Because we 
 have no certain knowledge of what happens after- 
 wards. We have heard of heaven, and feel we do 
 
Pomegranate's Mother 17 
 
 not deserve it. We have heard of hell, and fear 
 that is our fate. Every man's conscience is 
 burdened with sin, and many are the ways men 
 try to ease the load. Many of you, my friends, 
 are vegetarians ; you believe that by abstain- 
 ing from animal food you will lighten the burden 
 of sin, and acquire merit to help you in the day 
 of reckoning. Many of you have visited the great 
 Sacred Mountain, and made your offerings at 
 the shrines there. When you returned was it 
 easier to do right? Did you feel cleansed from 
 your sin ? Some of you are careful to go to 
 the temples at the new moon, and the full moon, 
 and pray and make offerings. Do the gods 
 hear you ? Can you not see the clay breaking 
 away under the gay paint ? Are you not often 
 asked for subscriptions to renew the figures of 
 your gods ? 
 
 "In all these things your feelings are natural 
 and right; the pity is that you have been going 
 along the wrong road. The priests have directed 
 you amiss ; you cannot find happiness that way. 
 I myself once tried all these plans ; my heart was 
 not comforted, but only grew heavier as the years 
 went by. ' 
 
 " But the Heavenly Father saw me wandering, 
 and pitied me ; He moved the hearts of good 
 2 
 
1 8 Pomegranate 
 
 men to bring His message of love to our land. 
 I heard of His mercy, and found the way by 
 which my sins were forgiven, and I now have the 
 sure and certain hope of heaven at last." 
 
 Then another hymn was sung in praise of 
 heaven and its joys, to the tune of " There is a 
 Happy Land." The words " Everlasting Life " 
 occurred again and again. Then the speaker 
 continued : — 
 
 " Brothers, we often speak of ' everlasting life,' 
 and try to find the way to attain it. Some of 
 you may belong to the ' Golden Pill ' sect, which 
 is trying to bring its members into peace. Others 
 of you carefully study the books of the Taoists 
 and Buddhists, and hope that by meditation and 
 prayer you may at last enter into the immortal 
 state. But you never heard that the gift of God 
 is eternal life. It is not to be earned ; it is a gift. 
 The good God pities us sinners, groping in darkness, 
 and sent His Son into the world to bring glad 
 tidings, to lead men into light, to save them from 
 their sins, and ' whosoever believeth on Him shall 
 not perish, but have everlasting life.' It is of Him 
 that we want to tell you to-day. We are His 
 servants and speak His message. The Saviour 
 loved us so much that He died to break the 
 power of Satan and free our souls from his bondage. 
 
Pomegranate's Mother 19 
 
 He became a little child, born into a poor home, 
 and His name on earth was Jesus. He grew up 
 sinless and good, loving others and helping the 
 poor and weak. He was able to heal diseases by 
 the exercise of His great power, and our Holy 
 Book tells us that He ' bore our sicknesses and 
 carried our sorrows.' Even the dead were recalled 
 to life by His voice. Yet, though He had this 
 power. He submitted Himself to death that He 
 might make an offering for sin, for ' without shedding 
 of blood there is no remission.' Do you not kill 
 chickens at the New Year, and sprinkle the blood 
 for your gods to see? How can a chicken 
 without a soul be sufficient to bring you for- 
 giveness ? Even a man could not pretend to 
 gain forgiveness for another before God, for he 
 himself is stained with sin. But Jesus in His 
 purity was willing to do this great deed, and 
 now whoever asks forgiveness in His name may 
 be purified from sin." 
 
 Then the Christians sang together the hymn, 
 " What can wash away my sin ? " and afterwards went 
 among the listeners, distributing tracts, and selling 
 copies of the Gospels to those who would buy 
 them, for a few cash. Mr. Fan bought a clearly 
 printed copy of the Gospel according to Matthew, 
 and was also given a sheet on which was printed 
 
20 Pomegranate 
 
 a list of days on which " worship-day " occurred 
 for the following year. All were asked to come 
 to the chapel in the city when possible, and then 
 Mr. Fan started off on his long walk home in the 
 moonlight. 
 
CHAPTER III 
 
 Beauty's Wedding 
 
 THE New Year was over; the caves in the 
 little settlement had been swept and gar- 
 nished. A new kitchen-god had been pasted 
 up over every stove, and where windows existed 
 clean paper filled the frame. The incoming of the 
 New Year was greeted with the noise of hundreds 
 of crackers and the shouts of children. Feasting 
 and merriment filled the day; the holidays were 
 occupied with visits of greeting to friends and 
 neighbours in Chen-chia-kou and the villages round. 
 Beauty's wedding-day was fixed for the eighth 
 day of the month, and she and Mrs. Fan were 
 very busy with the final preparations. For some 
 weeks the young bridegroom had been at work 
 cleaning and enlarging a disused cave, higher up 
 the valley, and building a wall across its mouth, 
 pierced by a door and a tiny window. He had 
 built a hollow k'ang, or bed, of mud-brick, along 
 
22 Pomegranate 
 
 one side, with a flue opening outside the cave; 
 and the table, chairs, and benches were already 
 arranged within. Streamers of red paper decorated 
 the door-frame. Beauty's red rug and scarlet 
 boxes were carried across on the eve of the wedding- 
 day. 
 
 Very early on the morning of the eighth, Mrs. 
 Fan was up and busy. A neighbour who was 
 skilled in cooking had been engaged to prepare for 
 the feast, to which all the villagers had been in- 
 vited. Most of the eatables were already cooked, 
 and only needed to be heated, but there was still 
 much for Mrs. Fan to do. Beauty's hair must be 
 combed and elaborately coiled at the back of her 
 head, and adorned with all the hair-ornaments 
 possessed by the family. Then the wedding clothes 
 were donned, the tiny satin shoes fastened on ; 
 purple wadded trousers, trimmed with gay braid, 
 were almost hidden by the scarlet wadded jacket 
 coming below the knees. This had broad, turned- 
 back strips of blue satin, covered with embroidery, 
 on the sleeves. In her hand Beauty held the silk 
 scarf she had worked for this occasion. On her 
 head was placed a gilt crown, and then her face 
 was hidden with a red veil. 
 
 As the distance was so short, and the family so 
 poor, the usual sedan-chair was dispensed with, and 
 
Beauty's Wedding 23 
 
 Beauty was escorted to her new home by two 
 young women as bridesmaids, and by all the children 
 of the village, shouting and jumping in high glee. 
 Young Li, the bridegroom, had found an old 
 woman, a distant relative of his own, to act as 
 hostess for the day. Together the young couple 
 bowed to her, and then worshipped Heaven and 
 Earth before a little altar which had been erected 
 in the yard. Beauty was led into the room and 
 seated on her red rug, and the crown and veil were 
 taken off. Men, women, and children crowded in 
 to look at the bride, admire her clothing, and make 
 remarks on her appearance. 
 
 " That trimming must have cost thirty cash a 
 foot," said one woman. 
 
 " It is not nearly so good as that which I got for 
 my daughter last year," said another. 
 
 " Ah well ! who can say it is hard to find a son- 
 in-law, now that Beauty is married ! " said a man 
 whose wife had often quarrelled with Beauty in the 
 past. 
 
 " Fine clothes don't alter the expression of the 
 face," said his neighbour. 
 
 " To-day there is smiling and feasting, to-morrow 
 there will be quarrelling and hard words," said 
 another who knew Beauty's reputation. 
 
 So the talk went on, and the words that reached 
 
24 Pomegranate 
 
 the bride's ears made her scowl. But soon the 
 voice of the head cook was heard, inviting the 
 guests to be seated, and the men hastened to take 
 their places at the tables. Furniture had been 
 borrowed from all the neighbours, and as the day- 
 was bright and sunny the tables were set on a 
 smooth threshing-floor outside the cave. 
 
 There were eight guests at each of the three 
 tables, and the women were all crowded into the 
 cave with Beauty. Children ran everywhere, and 
 ate whatever was given them with seemingly endless 
 appetites. Four saucers of cold dainties were first 
 placed in the centre of each table to sharpen the 
 appetites of the guests; and when they had tasted 
 these, chatting between each mouthful, four bowls 
 of steaming hot food were added to them. 
 
 There were spicy meat-balls of mutton, and 
 lumps of fat pork, scrambled eggs, and vegetables 
 in abundance, arrowroot, cabbage, sweet potatoes, 
 carrots, turnips, and beansprouts. The attendants 
 were kept busy changing the courses, and at last 
 the feast ended with a bowl of dough-strings for 
 everybody and a good supply of steaming hot 
 bread. At intervals during the feast the master 
 of ceremonies would call out a guest's name, and 
 say, "The bridegroom salutes you." He then 
 spread a rug on the ground, and young Li, in his 
 
Beauty's Wedding 25 
 
 wedding finery, knelt down and knocked his head 
 three times to the guest. Then the guest handed 
 his contribution in money to the master of cere- 
 monies, so that at last all had given something 
 towards the expenses of the feast. During the 
 previous few days, the women had been coming to 
 Mrs. Fan with presents of food, so that they were 
 not expected to contribute in cash. 
 
 When the men had been served, and were well 
 occupied at their tables, time was found to rearrange 
 some of the saucers which had been removed, and 
 send them into the women's room. Though their 
 meal was a little late, they made merry over it, and 
 ate heartily as the courses were served to them. A 
 tray was placed before Beauty, and as a matter of 
 etiquette she was urged to eat, and many jokes 
 were made, and much advice was given her. 
 
 Presently the short winter day came to an end, 
 the guests took their leave with congratulations and 
 " lucky wishes," and the accounts were made up. 
 The cook and his assistants were given their presents 
 and departed. The remaining cash was counted, 
 and, with a sigh, Mr. Fan said : — 
 
 " Well, my son-in-law, you are married now ; the 
 feast is over and the presents have been given. We 
 are still twenty strings of cash in debt ; what do you 
 propose to do ? " 
 
26 Pomegranate 
 
 " How mean of people to give only eighty cash 
 and tie it up to look like a hundred," said Li. 
 " Then the cash is not all good cash, some is too 
 small to pass on the market." 
 
 " There is nothing to be done," said the old man. 
 " I hope the harvest will be good, and then you can 
 repay some of the money to your creditors." 
 
 " Oh ! they can . wait," said the young man. 
 " It is only the eighth day of the first month. 
 They will not claim it till the end of the twelfth 
 month." 
 
 So ended Beauty's wedding-day, and thus began 
 her married life. The predictions of the villagers 
 were fulfilled ; her idleness and bad temper pro- 
 voked her husband, while she missed the forbearance 
 to which she had been accustomed. Old Mrs. Fan 
 had always done the greater part of the work, and 
 Beauty found that cooking and cleaning were very 
 irksome. The new table was soon stained and 
 spotted through carelessness. The red rug had a 
 hole burnt in it one evening when the fire under 
 the k'ang was allowed to become too fierce. During 
 the spring, when other women were up early and 
 late attending to their silkworms. Beauty let many 
 of hers die through lack of care. 
 
 The wheat harvest was a good one, and Mr. Fan 
 and Li worked together on their little farms. The 
 
Beauty's Wedding 27 
 
 debt burdened the old man more than the young 
 one, and it was through his influence and with his 
 help that part was repaid when the corn was 
 threshed. 
 
 In the autumn Beauty grumbled at being obliged 
 to go out and gather the cotton every morning as 
 it ripened, and she disliked picking it from the 
 pod and cleaning it from seed. Her work during 
 the winter consisted in spinning the cotton into 
 thread and preparing it for the weaver in the spring. 
 Constant quarrels took place between her husband 
 and herself. He would go off for days at a time 
 and leave her alone ; then she would go for consola- 
 tion to Mrs. Fan. 
 
 " You will drive him to smoke opium," said 
 the old woman. "You should take more trouble 
 to give him good food, and keep his clothes 
 mended." 
 
 But Beauty would not take advice. One hope 
 remained to her : the thought that she might have 
 a son cheered her heart, and she felt that her 
 husband would surely treat her better if she brought 
 him an heir. 
 
 One morning in the spring a little baby was born 
 in the cave-dwelling. But it was a girl, unwanted 
 and despised. 
 
 "Why have I such ill-luck?" wailed Beauty. 
 
28 Pomegranate 
 
 " What have I done to be given this useless thing 
 instead of the son I longed for ? " 
 
 "Never mind, my daughter, better luck next 
 time," said Mrs. Fan, trying to comfort her. 
 
 " This is the reward of her conduct," whispered 
 one woman to another ; " what could she expect 
 after her behaviour ? " 
 
 " Ah ! I fancy she is wickeder than we know, 
 and the gods have punished her for some great sin 
 by sending her a girl," said her neighbour. 
 
 The father, young Li, was so disappointed that 
 he left home and went on a long journey, ostensibly 
 to sell his yarn, but really to escape the ridicule 
 which he dreaded would be heaped on him for 
 having a girl as his eldest child. When he returned, 
 the pretty ways of the baby reconciled him for a 
 time, and they named her Pomegranate because 
 her little lips were red as the brilliant flower 
 among its dark green leaves. But the young 
 mother's evil temper was unchanged, and when 
 Pomegranate was only two years old, Li left the 
 home one day, vowing that he would never return 
 to be made wretched by her passionate and quarrel- 
 some nature. 
 
 So Beauty and her little Pomegranate went back 
 to live with the kind old couple who had been so 
 good to them. In spite of her troubles the girl's 
 
Beauty's Wedding 29 
 
 heart was still hard and obstinate. She remained 
 just as before, idle, careless, and bad-tempered. 
 
 Often did the old grandmother exhort her to 
 mend her ways, so that when her husband returned 
 he might find a welcome and be willing to remain. 
 But the girl replied, " He will never come back. I 
 do not want him. He has gone to the Northern 
 Hills, and will die of starvation or be killed by the 
 wolves." 
 
 Little Pomegranate was the delight of Mr. and 
 Mrs. Fan. As soon as she began to chatter, she 
 would run after the old man, calling " Yie-yie " 
 (Grandfather). So the neighbours began to call 
 him " Fan-ta-yie," as he went about carrying his 
 little grandchild warmly wrapped in his coat, or 
 leading her by the hand. 
 
 One day Beauty suddenly announced, " I am 
 going to marry again. You can keep Pomegranate. 
 I am tired of this valley, and I know her father 
 will never come back." 
 
 In spite of all the old folks could say or do, 
 Beauty persisted in her own way. She had been 
 visiting an old woman in the next village, and 
 through her had made arrangements for her second 
 marriage. 
 
 In the midst of tears and protests from her 
 adopted parents, and the laughter of the neighbours, 
 
3° Pomegranate 
 
 Beauty left her home one evening with the old 
 woman, and was not seen again for many years. 
 Pomegranate remained with her grandparents, who 
 lavished upon her the love which her mother had 
 scorned. 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 
 Sowing the Seed 
 
 DURING the years that succeeded Beauty's 
 marriage with Li, and the troubles which 
 followed, Mr. Fan had not forgotten the 
 preaching at the fair, nor had he neglected the 
 little book he had brought away. During the long 
 winter months, when no work could be done on the 
 land, and on wet days in summer, when it was im- 
 possible to leave the shelter of the cave, he had 
 studied the Gospel story, and its beauty and truth 
 had won his heart. Several times he had visited 
 the home of the evangelist in the city, and had 
 enjoyed a conversation with him, asking him ques- 
 tions about points which puzzled him, and gradually 
 coming out into the Light. But as yet Fan-ta-yie 
 did not consider it necessary to tell his wife of the 
 new joy he had found. He had never been in the 
 habit of talking with her on important matters, and 
 rather discussed his book with one or two friends 
 
32 Pomegranate 
 
 in the village, some of whom were sympathetic and 
 some indifferent. 
 
 " Why seek a new religion ? " said they. " Is it 
 not Heaven that gives us rain and sun, and Earth 
 that produces food? Let us worship these and 
 revere our ancestors. More is not required of 
 us farmers, who have enough to do to feed our 
 families." 
 
 But of the others, two accompanied Fan-ta-yie 
 on one of his visits to the city evangelist, and there 
 saw a Christian pastor who was much interested in 
 meeting them. 
 
 " I am visiting some of the villages in your 
 district soon," he said ; " would it be convenient to 
 you if I came to Chen-chia-kou ? Then we could 
 have longer conversation and others might become 
 interested." 
 
 A hearty invitation was given him, a day fixed, 
 and Fan-ta-yie went home to tell his wife of the 
 expected visitor. 
 
 " I suppose the others will help to entertain 
 him," said Mrs. Fan. " Now that Beauty has gone 
 away, and Pomegranate is having her feet bound, 
 I have no one to help me make the food." 
 
 " No doubt the Chens and the Kaos will invite the 
 pastor to a meal," said Fan-ta-yie. " But for the 
 honour of our family we must do our best. A 
 
Sowing the Seed 33 
 
 neighbour's daughter will come in to help, if you 
 promise her a share of the good food." 
 
 Before noon on the appointed day, a stranger was 
 seen approaching the valley. The children, who 
 were all on the look out, shouted, " He's come ! he's 
 come ! " and Fan-ta-yie with his two friends went 
 to meet him. 
 
 " Venerable teacher, you have arrived. Have 
 you had breakfast ? " was their greeting. 
 
 " I have eaten, I have eaten, thank you for in- 
 quiring," was the reply. 
 
 Then they walked up the valley slowly, chatting 
 about the news of the district, while all the men 
 came into the road to see the visitor, and all the 
 women came to their house-doors. 
 
 " How many families live in this settlement ? " 
 asked the pastor. 
 
 " Between ten and twenty," was the answer. 
 
 When they reached a threshing-floor, the pastor 
 was offered a seat on a wooden bench, and the men 
 gathered round. Some one brought a pot of tea 
 and some cups, and invited the guest to drink. As 
 he was sipping the tea, he said, " If our friends will 
 get seats, and the women like to come, I will tell 
 you about the doctrine I believe and the way I 
 follow." 
 
 So benches and stools and straw mats were 
 3 
 
34 Pomegranate 
 
 brought out from the houses, and some sat on the 
 mill-stones which were lying round the threshing- 
 floor. 
 
 Standing up, and unwrapping a little bundle 
 which he carried, the pastor opened a Bible, and 
 read aloud the story of the Prodigal Son. Many 
 exclamations were made as he read. 
 
 " Ah ! the loving old father ! " 
 
 " What an ungrateful son ! " 
 
 " Oh ! the misery of the famine ! I too have 
 eaten the husks of the beans." , 
 
 " Yes, he had to come back at last." 
 
 " Covering him with the best robe, too, so that 
 he had no need to be ashamed of his rags, and lose 
 face." 
 
 " Friends," said the pastor, " I see you are all 
 interested in this story. You all know the love 
 with which a father treats his son, and you have 
 seen the unhappiness which results from unfilial 
 conduct. We pride ourselves on revering our 
 ancestors and respecting our parents, but do you 
 know that we are all unfilial children, I as well as 
 you? Let me tell you how this is. In the be- 
 ginning the Heavenly Father created the heaven 
 and the earth. He caused the trees to grow, the 
 crops to spring up. He made the cattle, the birds, 
 and the fishes. When all was ready. He created 
 
Sowing the Seed 35 
 
 man, and gave him this beautiful earth to dwell in. 
 All was intended to make man happy ; but, alas ! 
 man had an enemy, the opposer of God, and through 
 the temptation of the devil man fell into sin. From 
 that time all men have sinned. Who can say his 
 heart has never had an evil thought ? We are like 
 the son, who took all the father had to bestow, 
 and then left him, and went far away, and did all 
 manner of evil in a far country. Now some of 
 you know bitterness of heart, and you feel that life 
 is empty, because you are not right with God." 
 
 There is only one way back again, and that is by 
 repentance and turning from sin. We must behave 
 like the Prodigal, find out our unworthiness, grieve 
 over sin in our heart, return to the Father, and ask 
 His forgiveness. He will not cast you away. He 
 is more loving than we are to our children. Just 
 as the father forgave the Prodigal, so will God 
 forgive us. Our sins will be covered, so that they 
 will be seen no more, by a Robe of Righteousness, 
 just as the Prodigal's rags were covered by a beauti- 
 ful gown. This righteousness is not our own, but 
 belongs to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came 
 into the world for the very purpose of saving sinners 
 and bringing us back to the Father. I will tell you 
 more about Him later on. Fan-ta-yie has a book 
 in which the story of His life is written. Now 
 
36 Pomegranate 
 
 listen, while I sing a hymn to you, telling of the 
 Prodigal Son." 
 
 Then the pastor sang, " I was a wandering sheep," 
 giving a short explanation after each verse; and 
 when he had finished, Mr. Fan said, "Dinner is 
 ready; will you excuse all deficiencies and share 
 our humble fare ? " 
 
 "You have taken too much trouble on my 
 account," was the reply, as the pastor followed his 
 host to the cave. 
 
 A tray of bread was on the table, with a bowl 
 of fried pork and carrots, and another of lumps of 
 bean-curd. As the men entered, Mrs. Fan filled 
 two bowls with tiny dumplings, floating in boiling 
 water, and set them on the table, with a pair of 
 chop-sticks for each. 
 
 " Garlic dumplings are a great delicacy. Your 
 good wife has been very busy preparing such a 
 variety of food for us," said the guest. 
 
 " There is nothing special to eat," said Fan-ta-yie, 
 " but if you do not despise it, please eat heartily." 
 
 After the meal, little Pomegranate, who was 
 then about six years old, attracted the pastor's 
 eye. 
 
 " Is this your little grandchild ? " he asked. 
 
 " Her mother was our adopted daughter," replied 
 Mr. Fan, sighing heavily, "but she is like the 
 
Sowing the Seed 37 
 
 Prodigal. It is some years since she left us and 
 her child, and we have never seen her since." 
 
 " Do not despair, she may yet be given grace 
 to repent, and return to you," replied the pastor. 
 " And this little girl is beloved by the Heavenly 
 Father, for you have read in Matthew's Gospel 
 that Jesus called little children to Him, and blessed 
 them, have you not, Fan-ta-yie ? " 
 
 " But they were boys, doubtless," said Mr. Fan. 
 
 " It does not say so," replied his guest ; " Jesus 
 loved girls as well as boys, and He preached to 
 women as well as men, and He healed the diseases 
 of both alike. I am sorry to see this little girl's 
 feet are bound." 
 
 " It is the custom," said Fan-ta-yie, quite sur- 
 prised. " Where do you ever see girls with un- 
 bound feet?" 
 
 " All my girls have unbound feet," replied the 
 pastor. " God made the feet of boys and girls alike, 
 and how dare we alter the pattern of what He has 
 made ? All the women who accept His doctrine 
 unbind their feet, and all parents promise not to 
 bind the little girls' feet." 
 
 " Do they not fear the ridicule of the neighbours ? " 
 
 " Ridicule is less hard to bear than a weight of 
 sin," replied the pastor. 
 
 " But how can women accept the doctrine ? 
 
38 • Pomegranate 
 
 They know nothing except what they are told," 
 said Mr. Fan, changing the subject. 
 
 " Our Book says that all are equally precious in 
 God's sight, and the souls of all are alike before 
 Him. The foreign missionaries, who came years 
 ago to our land, have opened schools for girls as 
 well as boys, and my daughters are all studying 
 there; indeed, my eldest girl is now a teacher 
 herself." 
 
 " A woman-teacher ! How surprising ! " said 
 Mr. Fan. 
 
 When the pastor left, the following day, much 
 interest had been aroused in his message. From 
 that time forward evangelists visited the village 
 regularly. Services were held on Sunday, and Mr. 
 Fan and one other man were baptized and received 
 into the Christian Church. About two years later 
 the villagers asked for a teacher to be sent to live 
 amongst them and open a day-school for their 
 children. They prepared a large new cave for a 
 chapel and schoolroom, and a smaller one adjoining 
 for the teacher to live in, with a third for a kitchen. 
 Contributions were made for the furnishing of the 
 place with benches and a few tables, and in due 
 time a good Christian youth named Wang-tien-en 
 (Heavenly Grace), with his wife Pearl, came to live 
 in the settlement. 
 
Sowing the Seed 39 
 
 Eight or nine little children came daily to school, 
 and, to the astonishment of other villages, some of 
 the pupils were girls. Pomegranate was amongst 
 them, and she showed herself a clever little scholar, 
 though the regular routine was rather irksome at 
 first, and she preferred playing with the teacher's 
 baby to learning her lessons. Mrs. Wang's natural 
 feet provoked much comment, but she was always 
 ready to explain why she had unbound her feet, and 
 followed by speaking of the love of Christ to 
 women, so that at last quite a number of the older 
 girls gathered round her for a class on Sunday 
 afternoons, and were willing to accompany her 
 sometimes to the neighbouring villages. 
 
 But no one would consent to follow Pearl's 
 example and unbind her feet. Fan-ta-yie had 
 persuaded his wife that it would be only right for 
 Pomegranate to do so, but the child herself would 
 not consent, and put on the bandages again when 
 Mrs. Fan took them off. She was afraid of the 
 laughter of her companions, and in spite of her 
 grandparents' wishes refused to wear " natural " 
 shoes. 
 
CHAPTER V 
 Pearl's Story 
 
 ONE morning Mrs. Fan thought she would call 
 on Mrs. Wang, the teacher's wife, to consult 
 her about Pomegranate's conduct. The 
 child was not so obedient as she should be, and 
 would not help in the housework. As the old lady 
 drew near the schoolhouse, she saw all the pupils 
 busily carrying out the benches, tables, and books 
 into the yard, while Mrs. Wang, with her head tied 
 up in a handkerchief, was sweeping cobwebs off the 
 roof, and the biggest boy was fetching a bucket of 
 water frpm the well. Pomegranate was happily 
 nursing the baby. 
 
 " Why, Mrs. Wang, you are busy to-day," said 
 Mrs. Fan. 
 
 "Yes," replied Pearl; "last night we heard that 
 
 the lady missionary from the city is coming to pay 
 
 us a visit. We have often asked her, and now she 
 
 has arranged to come to-morrow and stay over 
 
 40 
 
Pearl's Story 41 
 
 Sunday. Mr. Wang has gone down to the village, 
 as it is market-day, to buy a few little things, and 
 the children and I are cleaning the place." 
 
 " Dear me, a foreign woman coming ! What's 
 she like ? Where will she stay ? " 
 
 " Oh, she will stay in our room, and I shall sleep 
 in the schoolroom. My husband will find a bed 
 with one of the families in the village." 
 
 " Are you not afraid to be left alone with a 
 foreign woman ? " asked Mrs. Fan. 
 
 " Afraid of what ? " said Pearl, laughing merrily. 
 " I lived for years with foreigners, that is where I 
 learned to read and write. They are kind and 
 good, and do no one any harm. But they are very 
 particular about cleanliness, so that is why we are 
 busy to-day." 
 
 " Well, I won't interrupt you now, but I wanted 
 to talk to you. Will you come up later on to my 
 house, and sit awhile with me ? " asked Mrs. Fan. 
 
 Mrs. Wang consented, and the old lady went 
 off to spread the news among her neighbours. It 
 caused great excitement, for most of the people had 
 never seen a foreigner before, and even the few 
 men who had been to the city mission-house and 
 knew the men-missionaries, had never seen a woman- 
 missionary. Many were the speculations indulged in. 
 
 " I have heard that you cannot tell them from 
 
42 Pomegranate 
 
 men, they walk with great strides, and carry their 
 heads so high," said one, 
 
 " Then their eyes are pale, like a blind person's, 
 and their hair is a strange colour," said another. 
 
 " How shall we understand what she says in their 
 queer foreign talk ? " asked a third. 
 
 " Mrs. Wang says that they spend a long time 
 learning to speak our language," said Mrs. Fan. 
 " She has lived with foreigners and knows their 
 ways, and she says they are kind and good." 
 
 " Oh yes, my husband says he saw in their front 
 yard an old man who had been blind, and they cut 
 his eyes and used medicine, and he could see 
 again," said Mrs. Liu, the wife of the other Christian 
 man in the village. 
 
 " Will the lady bring medicine with her to- 
 morrow, I wonder. My child has come out in spots 
 all over his body and I should like her to cure 
 him," said one of the women. 
 
 " I don't know if this one is a doctor, but we can 
 ask her," said Mrs. Fan. 
 
 Later in the day, Mrs. Wang, carrying her baby 
 wrapped inside her jacket, came to Mrs. Fan's 
 door. 
 
 " Come in and sit down, teacher's wife," said the 
 old woman. 
 
 " Ah, I am tired," said Pearl, " but the place looks 
 
Pearl's Story 43 
 
 nice and clean. I am so glad to think I shall see 
 my teacher again to-morrow." 
 
 " I want to ask you about Pomegranate," said 
 Mrs. Fan. " She is getting too much for me to 
 manage altogether. She will not hear of unbinding 
 her feet, and her grandfather insists that it must be 
 done. Between the two of them I am in a hard 
 position." 
 
 " Pomegranate is clever with her lessons," said 
 Pearl, " but she is not a very good girl. She does 
 not always mind what I say." 
 
 " What had we better do ? " asked Mrs. Fan. 
 
 " Suppose we consult my teacher when she comes 
 to-morrow," said Pearl. "Perhaps she will have .a 
 plan. How would you like Pomegranate to go 
 away into the city school and study there for a few 
 years ? " 
 
 " That child go away from home ! " exclaimed the 
 old woman. " Who would look after her ? " 
 
 " Oh, there are women to look after the little 
 ones," said Pearl, " and the foreign lady is close at 
 hand. Pomegranate is ten now ; she will be eleven 
 at the New Year. Wait and see what the lady 
 says about it." 
 
 " I should never be able to dress her properly ; 
 new clothes cost so much," said Mrs. Fan. 
 
 " But she has had a new wadded coat this 
 
44 Pomegranate 
 
 autumn, and it is still clean and good. Could you 
 not get her a pair of trousers at the New Year, 
 or at least a pair of leggings to put over her old 
 ones? All the pupils are farmers' daughters, just 
 as we are. They do not dress very smartly." 
 
 " The school fees will be very high, no doubt, and 
 how can we afford to pay ? Here at home she eats 
 with us, but there we should have to pay for her 
 board." 
 
 " We will ask the teacher what is required. How 
 much could you manage to give, do you think ? " 
 
 " We have no money, but we could give two 
 sacks of wheat, I daresay, and perhaps some beans, 
 if the harvest is good ? " said Mrs. Fan. 
 
 " Well, we can but inquire. I was a poor orphan 
 girl, and a lady took me to nurse her children, while 
 she helped me to study in the evenings. I could 
 never pay anything, but only received kindness all 
 the while I was with the foreigners." 
 
 " How did you get married ? Did they arrange 
 the wedding for you ? " asked the old woman 
 curiously. 
 
 " My husband had been turned out of his home 
 when he became a Christian, and was serving the 
 missionaries as a seller of books," replied Pearl. " A 
 good old woman who knew him proposed the match, 
 and his father consented, though his mother re- 
 
Pearl's Story 45 
 
 fused to hear his name mentioned. We were 
 married in the year of the great famine, when all 
 our foreign friends had to leave the country because 
 of the Boxer rising." 
 
 "Ah! that awful time!" said Mrs. Fan. "My 
 husband and I ate much bitterness that year. 
 What did you do ? " 
 
 " My mother-in-law fell ill, and my father came 
 to fetch us home. She was unconscious when we 
 got there, and when she grew better was too weak 
 to send me away. Afterwards she forgave her son, 
 and we stayed on at home." 
 
 " Was there food enough for you all ? " asked 
 Mrs. Fan. " Is your mother - in - law's home 
 wealthy ? " 
 
 " No, indeed, we were all in great distress," 
 replied Pearl. " While our mother was so ill, we 
 obtained millet and rice to make broth for her to 
 drink, but my husband and his brother went out 
 every day to pluck leaves from the trees and gather 
 the seeds of the wild grasses. My young sister-in- 
 law scraped up fuel from the fields. We kept a 
 few fowls as long as we could, to have eggs for our 
 mother to eat, but soon we could not feed them, so 
 we ate them, as no one could afford to buy them 
 from us." 
 
 " Did you escape to the Northern Mountains ? " 
 
46 Pomegranate 
 
 " No, my mother was too weak, and I could not 
 walk. My father drove his donkey and cow to the 
 city, and sold them for millet, which helped us 
 through the winter. There was no sound of dog or 
 other animal in our village. All had died of starva- 
 tion or had been sold for food." 
 
 " Pomegranate was a tiny child then ; her mother 
 had just left us, and gone away with her husband," 
 said Mrs. Fan. 
 
 " I had a baby in the spring, but he died," said 
 Pearl, weeping bitterly. " I could not feed him, 
 and he was so tiny. If only he could have lived 
 three months, we should have had food to eat then, 
 for we gathered a small crop that year." 
 
 " You were lucky to have grain to sow for seed," 
 said Mrs. Fan. 
 
 " Yes, it was by the mercy of God that my father 
 was so wise. There fell a little rain in the autumn, 
 and he said though we had to be half-starved during 
 the winter we must sow some corn for the next 
 year. Once in the winter my husband walked 
 across the yard and fell down through sheer weak- 
 ness. We could not help him, he had to lie there 
 till he could crawl back again. Sometimes, when I 
 and my sister-in-law went out to gather fuel, we 
 would sit down to scratch up roots, and then we 
 could not get up and lift our baskets, so we 
 
Pearl's Story 47 
 
 came home on hands and knees, dragging them 
 along." 
 
 " It makes one weep to think of those times," 
 said Mrs, Fan. 
 
 " Yes, we ought not to think of them without 
 remembering the goodness of God in keeping us 
 alive, and giving us food the next year," said Pearl. 
 " Some families lost their parents, and some their 
 children, but we only lost one little child, and God 
 has given me three since then." 
 
 " Have you another, besides the two with you 
 here, then ? " asked Mrs. Fan. 
 
 " Yes, my eldest son is seven years old," said 
 Pearl. " He lives with his grandparents, who are 
 very fond of him, and cannot spare him. Then my 
 little girl is five, and my baby is a year old." 
 
 " Ah, what happiness is yours ! " said Mrs. Fan. 
 
 "It is all by the grace of God," said Pearl. 
 " But I see my husband returning ; I must go now. 
 Good-bye." 
 
 " See you to-morrow," called Mrs. Fan after her. 
 ''If you see Pomegranate, send her straight home, 
 please." 
 
 That evening every home circle was discussing the 
 expected visitor. All were curious to see what she 
 would be like, whether she would come in a cart or 
 in a sedan-chair, whether she would bring the children 
 
48 Pomegranate 
 
 of whom Mrs. Wang had spoken, whether she 
 would eat in native fashion, or with knives and 
 forks as report said. 
 
 Next morning, Mrs. Davis, the wife of a mission- 
 ary in the city, came, accompanied by one of the 
 pupils from the girls' school, whose name was 
 Kai-hsin-mei. 
 
CHAPTER VI 
 
 Excitement at Chen-chia-kou 
 
 " /~^ OME in and sit down, teacher- mother, and 
 ^^ you too, little sister," said Pearl, leading 
 the way into the schoolhouse. 
 
 The benches were arranged in order, the little 
 pupils stood in a row, and as Mrs. Davis entered 
 they bowed all together, bending until their folded 
 hands touched their knees, and then raising them 
 up to their faces. The girls folded their hands on 
 their breasts and shook them as Mrs. Davis nodded 
 to them, 
 
 " Have you all finished reading for this morning ? " 
 asked Mrs. Davis, smiling at them. 
 
 " We have finished," they answered. 
 
 " Will you give them a holiday this afternoon ? " 
 she asked Pearl. 
 
 " They always have a holiday on Saturday," she 
 answered. 
 
 " Well, I will ask you some questions and 
 4 
 
so Pomegranate 
 
 examine your progress later on. Shall we say 
 when the sun sets ? " turning to Pearl. 
 
 "Yes, when the sun sets be ready, and I 
 will ring the school gong. Now go home to 
 dinner." 
 
 So they trooped off, bowing again as they left the 
 door. 
 
 The visitors had hardly finished their meal when 
 the curtain, which divided the inner cave from the 
 school, was lifted, and an old woman entered with 
 some hesitation. 
 
 " Come in, venerable mother," said Kai-hsin-mei, 
 offering her a seat, while the old woman made her 
 bow to Mrs. Davis, who placed her on the bench 
 beside her. 
 
 " What is your honourable name, aged lady ? " 
 she asked. 
 
 " My humble name is Fan ; what is yours ? " she 
 replied. 
 
 " My name is Tei. Then you are the wife of 
 Fan-ta-yie who belongs to our Church," said Mrs. 
 Davis. 
 
 " Yes, I am. I have nothing worthy to offer you, 
 but I have brought a few persimmons from our own 
 tree, if you will accept them," said the old woman, 
 unrolling a blue handkerchief, and placing ten 
 golden, juicy persimmons on the table. 
 
Excitement at Chen-chia-kou 51 
 
 " Thank you very much. I am fond of persimmons, 
 and we shall enjoy them," said Mrs. Davis. 
 
 " Is this your daughter ? " was the next question. 
 
 "No, this is Kai-hsin-mei, one of the pupils of 
 the girls' school in the city. She belongs to your 
 own nation. Her parents live only twenty miles 
 from here. They are Christians, like your husband." 
 
 " Ah," said Mrs. Fan, looking with interest at the 
 girl's red shoes, prettily embroidered. " Do all the 
 pupils in your school have big feet ? " 
 
 " We hope they will unbind their feet, but we do 
 not force them to do so," replied Mrs. Davis. 
 " They must have their parents' consent before they 
 begin." 
 
 "That is quite right," said Mrs. Fan. "I have 
 a little grandchild who refuses to let me unbind her 
 feet, though my husband desires it." 
 
 " Oh yes ; her name is Pomegranate, is it not ? " 
 replied Mrs. Davis. " Mr. Wang spoke of her as a 
 bright little pupil. I should like to talk with her." 
 
 " We thought she had better go to your school," 
 said Mrs. Fan. "You have good ways of making 
 children obedient, and Pomegranate does not mind 
 me now." 
 
 "We will consult about this," said Mrs. Davis. 
 " The school does not belong to me, but to a lady 
 named Lao, who gives all her time to it. If you 
 
52 Pomegranate 
 
 really wish it, I will speak to her about Pomegranate, 
 and see if she has room, and will be able to take 
 her in after the New Year." 
 
 " We are very poor," said Mrs. Fan. " I am 
 afraid it will be too expensive for us to pay the 
 fees." 
 
 " Tell me what > you can give," said Mrs. Davis, 
 "besides giving the child her clothes and a good 
 quilt. Her Chinese classics must come from home, 
 too, but we can provide books in other subjects." 
 
 " We could send two sacks of wheat, and a sack 
 of beans, if the harvest is good," said Mrs. Fan. 
 
 " Well, I will consult Teacher Lao, and let you 
 know what she says when I return." 
 
 During this conversation a number of women 
 had gathered in the outer cave or schoolroom ; 
 their talk could be heard in the inner room, and 
 occasionally one of them lifted the curtain and 
 peeped in. 
 
 " What a number of friends have come ! " said 
 Mrs. Davis. " Please sit down, and tell me your 
 names. Mrs. Fan, will you introduce me ? Ah, 
 here is a little girl I know," catphing up Pearl's 
 little daughter Winter-flower, and setting her on the 
 bench by her side. The little girl nestled comfort- 
 ably close to her friend, for she had not forgotten 
 her kindness in times past. 
 
Excitement at Chen-chia-kou 53 
 
 " This is Mrs. Liu, mother of Gracious Happiness," 
 said Mrs. Fan, pushing forward the woman. 
 
 " I am glad to see you, elder sister," said Mrs. 
 Davis. " Please sit down, and let us chat. This is 
 Kai-hsin-mei, a pupil from the school. She will be 
 pleased to talk with you all." 
 
 " Have you not brought your children ? " asked 
 some one. " Mr. Wang has often talked about the 
 two little gentlemen he used to play with." 
 
 " My children are all far away in school in our 
 native land," said Mrs. Davis. " Only my husband 
 and I are left in our home, now." 
 
 " How can you part with them ? Could you not 
 keep one with you ? " asked the woman. 
 
 " It is for their own good that we are separated," 
 replied Mrs. Davis, her eyes filling with tears at 
 the thought of the parting which had taken place a 
 few years ago. " Here there are no English schools 
 to train them for their future life, so it was best to 
 leave them behind." 
 
 " How many children have you ? How old are 
 they ? " asked several women at once. 
 
 " My eldest child is a daughter, she is twenty-two, 
 and is teaching in a school " 
 
 " What, teaching in a school, — a girl — is she not 
 married ? " 
 
 " No," said Mrs. Davis, smiling ; " in England we 
 
54 Pomegranate 
 
 do not have our daughters married as early as in 
 China. Later on she will decide for herself about 
 her marriage. She has studied for many years, 
 and has taken her degree. Now she is teaching 
 other young girls, and her salary enables her to live 
 comfortably." 
 
 " A woman with a degree ! Living on her own 
 salary! Deciding about marriage for herself!" 
 exclaimed one and another in great astonishment. 
 
 " In England our customs are so different from 
 yours ; do not be alarmed, the proprieties are 
 observed. At the holiday seasons my daughter 
 visits her grandparents." 
 
 " Ah, you can be at ease about her if she is in 
 the old home," said the woman. 
 
 " My eldest son is twenty years old. He is 
 learning to be a doctor. Perhaps he will some day 
 come here to heal diseases." 
 
 " Have you bespoken a wife for him ? " asked 
 Mrs. Liu. " Does he also live in the ancestral 
 home ? " 
 
 " Our sons do not marry until they have means 
 to support a wife, and my son is yet young," replied 
 Mrs. Davis. " I also have two younger sons aged 
 fifteen and thirteen who are still at school." 
 
 " An entire family of scholars," said one woman. 
 " How wealthy you must be." 
 
Excitement at Chen-chia-kou 55 
 
 " Oh no, we are not wealthy ; but we strive to 
 educate our sons, so that afterwards they may be 
 independent," said Mrs. Davis. "Next year my 
 second son will begin life in a business house with 
 his uncle." 
 
 " Well, well, truly the ways of Westerners are 
 strange," was the remark. 
 
 " How old are you, exalted lady ? " said another 
 woman. 
 
 " Can you guess ? " asked Mrs. Davis. 
 
 " Are you yet forty years old ? " 
 
 " Indeed, I am forty-eight." 
 
 " Why, that is just my age," cried a wrinkled, 
 bent woman, with dim eyes and roughened hands. 
 
 " See the difference," cried the women. " The 
 lady has lived an easy life ; she has money to pay 
 her servants. Her face is smooth, her back is 
 straight. She is lucky." 
 
 " My sister, why are you so bent ? " asked Mrs. 
 Davis. 
 
 " I am one of those who eat much bitterness," 
 was the reply. " I have no son left to me, only one 
 daughter-in-law and a little grandson, and my 
 husband is continually taking opium. It is I who 
 must fill the mouths of the family." 
 
 " How did you lose your sons ? " 
 
 " My eldest son had a quarrel with some roughs 
 
S6 Pomegranate 
 
 in the town about three years ago, and had to flee 
 away beyond the Passes to escape them. He left 
 his wife and little son at home ; but she is feeble, a 
 useless encumbrance, and the child was but a few 
 months old when his father went away. My second 
 son was a ne'er-do-well from childhood. He joined 
 the army when he was eighteen, and we have not 
 heard of him since. My youngest son died of 
 small-pox. Weeping for him injured my eyesight. 
 It was at his death that my husband took to opium. 
 I can hardly earn enough to supply him, and feed 
 the family." 
 
 " Do you also take opium, sister ? " 
 
 " Why should I not ? My troubles are hard to 
 bear. I could not manage at all without opium." 
 
 " God will help you, if you ask Him," said Mrs 
 Davis. 
 
 " Your God is good. You have skill and wisdom 
 to worship Him, therefore He hears your prayer. 
 We are too stupid to learn, and have no money to 
 make large offerings," said the opium-smoker, whose 
 name was Mrs. Su. 
 
 " God does not desire gifts of money, food, or 
 incense," replied Mrs. Davis. " What He wants 
 is the love of our hearts, and our obedience." 
 
 " Grandmother, come quickly, you are wanted," 
 cried a shrill voice outside. 
 
Excitement at Chen-chia-kou 57 
 
 " It is time to begin to prepare supper," said the 
 woman. " Darkness is coming on." 
 
 " Come again to-morrow ; go slowly," said Mrs. 
 Davis, as they moved away. 
 
 " Remain seated, do not escort us," was the 
 polite response. 
 
CHAPTER VII 
 
 Working for the Master 
 
 THE school-bell sounded ; the little pupils, who 
 had been standing in the yard a-nd peeping 
 in, while the women talked to Mrs. Davis, 
 now entered, and stood in a row before the lady, 
 with wide-open eyes and parted lips, determined to 
 do their best when she questioned them. Mrs. 
 Davis began by asking the bigger ones to repeat the 
 multiplication table, and when they had done this 
 the younger ones were asked to count and add. 
 Then came the simple geography catechism, and 
 then the large sheets were produced, on which were 
 printed Chinese characters in bold type, from which 
 the children learned to read. Folding the sheet so 
 as to expose one line at a time, Mrs. Davis asked 
 the children in turn to give the sound and meaning 
 of the different characters. When this was finished, 
 she dismissed them, saying, " To-morrow I will 
 question you on your Scripture knowledge. Come 
 
Working for the Master 59 
 
 here as soon as you have had breakfast. You have 
 done very well to-day. Now run away to your 
 suppers." 
 
 Early next morning Pearl appeared with a bowl 
 of hot water, which she set on the ground. 
 
 " Were you disturbed last night ? Did you hear 
 any noise ? " she asked. 
 
 " No, I slept soundly," replied Mrs. Davis. 
 
 " The wolves have been here. We heard them 
 howling at the top of the gorge; but, now we all 
 have doors, they cannot get in. Some years ago, 
 when people were very poor, they pushed down the 
 screen of reeds and stole a baby off the bed," said 
 Pearl. 
 
 " How terrible ! " said Mrs. Davis, shuddering. 
 
 " Your servant is preparing breakfast ; it will soon 
 be ready." 
 
 " I will get up at once, then. Is it fine ? " 
 
 " Yes, it is fine and frosty," said Pearl. 
 
 They had millet porridge for breakfast, followed 
 by bread and fried eggs. Mrs. Davis took milk 
 with her porridge, but Kai-hsin-mei preferred to take 
 a little pickled turnip with hers. A cup of tea was 
 most refreshing, but the girl drank millet-broth. As 
 soon as the tray was removed, the little children 
 came trooping in, with polite bows and pleasant 
 greetings. Mrs. Davis began her task of question- 
 
6o Pomegranate 
 
 ing them on " The Peep of Day," and was pleased 
 with the knowledge they showed. 
 
 " What hymns have you learned ? " she inquired. 
 
 " Jesus who lived above the sky," " Hark, the 
 herald angels sing," " There is a green hill far away," 
 and " One there is above all others," said the 
 children. 
 
 " Please repeat them a verse at a time," said Mrs. 
 Davis ; and they did so, very correctly. 
 
 " Now we are going to learn a new hymn and 
 tune," said the lady, as she opened her hymn-book. 
 " Repeat after me, slowly and clearly, ' Jesus my 
 Saviour to Bethlehem came.' " 
 
 So, line by line, she taught the children one verse 
 and the chorus, and then began to sing it with them. 
 Wang-tien-en came in with his copy of the tune, and 
 he and Pearl and Kai-hsin-mei led the singing, 
 Mrs. Davis left them to practise the tune while she 
 rested before the morning service. Mr. Wang had 
 told her that all were hoping that she would lead 
 the worship. 
 
 Presently the children dispersed, after arranging 
 the benches in order, and soon a party from another 
 village arrived, and Mrs. Davis had to go out to 
 greet them. People from the market-town came in, 
 attracted by the unusual visit of a foreigner, and 
 the inhabitants of Chen-chia-kou itself made up a 
 
Working for the Master 6i 
 
 good congregation. The school cave was full, and 
 Mrs. Davis felt that she had a grand opportunity of 
 preaching the Gospel. The Christians offered prayer, 
 the school-children joined heartily in the hymns, and 
 Mrs. Davis gave an earnest address on the Parable 
 of the Sower, illustrating her words with a bright 
 picture. 
 
 " The seed has been sown here for two years 
 past," she said, " it is being sown to-day. The word 
 of God is spoken to your hearts ; what reception 
 will it have there ? Are you so taken up with the 
 cares of this world that you have no thought for the 
 future? Are your hearts shallow, so that there is 
 no depth for the seed to take root and flourish ? Is 
 Satan so busy that he snatches away the words as I 
 say them ? Or are you willing to hear and remem- 
 ber, and come again to talk with those who are 
 servants of the true God about the message I have 
 given ? Oh, that the Good Seed may bear much 
 fruit in this place ! " 
 
 They closed the service by singing " Christ 
 receiveth sinful men," and then the children and 
 their fathers went out, while Pearl and Kai-hsin-mei 
 talked to the women about the Good Shepherd. 
 
 Wang-tien-en came in again, and said to Mrs. 
 Davis, " Mr, Chou, from another village, is very 
 anxious for you to go and see his mother and his 
 
62 Pomegranate 
 
 wife this afternoon. They live five li away, and 
 cannot walk up to Chen-chia-kou." 
 
 " Very well, I will go," said Mrs. Davis. " You 
 will conduct the second service here, will you not ? " 
 
 " Yes, teacher-mother ; Mr. Chou will tell all the 
 women in his village to come to his house to hear 
 you." 
 
 So after a hasty meal the cart was made ready, 
 and Mrs. Davis and Kai-hsin-mei started off. 
 Pomegranate went too, to show the way. 
 
 " Do you like your lessons ? " asked Mrs. Davis. 
 The child hung her head. 
 
 " Answer the lady," whispered Kai-hsin-mei. 
 
 " I like hymns and arithmetic," said Pomegranate. 
 
 " Would you like to come to our school in the 
 city ? " asked Mrs. Davis. " There are lots of girls 
 there, some as big as Kai-hsin-mei, and a few no 
 bigger than you are." 
 
 " I don't know," said the child. 
 
 They soon reached the village. Mr. Chou's 
 family received them kindly, but Mrs. Davis found 
 the women so very ignorant that it was difficult to 
 teach them anything. She made friends with them, 
 however, and got them to promise to try to visit 
 Chen-chia-kou sometimes on Sundays. 
 
 Next morning they had to start homewards after 
 an early breakfast, and Pearl said, " Good - bye, 
 
Working for the Master 63 
 
 teacher-mother, your visit has been such a help to 
 us all. The women say they will really try to learn 
 in future, so that when you come again you shall 
 see the advance they have made. Do not forget 
 Pomegranate ; please send us word if she may come 
 to the city school after the New Year. Good-bye, 
 come again before long. Good-bye, little sister, 
 greet your teachers for me." 
 
 Mr. Wang, Fan-ta-yie, and Mr. Liu accompanied 
 the cart as far as the market-town, and then returned 
 after polite farewells. Mrs. Davis reached home 
 early in the afternoon, and sent Kai-hsin-mei back 
 to the schoolhouse after her little change into the 
 country. 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
 Going to School 
 
 THE New Year festivities were over in Chen- 
 chia-kou. Before the end of the year 
 Wang-tien-en had taken his wife and family 
 back to the home of his father, Wang-meng-lin, 
 where the New Year passed happily for them all. 
 
 Meanwhile, Mrs. Fan was busily occupied with 
 her preparations for Pomegranate's new school outfit. 
 The old woman's eyes were very dim, but she 
 struggled with the sewing, and managed to get the 
 necessary garments made. Mr. Fan went into the 
 town to buy the calico required, and the cotton 
 wadding was supplied from their own fields. 
 
 " I do not know what to do about the child's 
 shoes," said Mrs. Fan. " She will want a new shape 
 when she unbinds, and I have no pattern to make 
 them by." 
 
 " The foreign ladies have had much experience," 
 
 said her husband, "let us send a little money for 
 
 64 
 
Going to School 65 
 
 materials and ask them to have shoes made in the 
 right way for the child ; then you can ask for a 
 pattern by which to make her a second pair." 
 
 Pomegranate felt herself to be a person of some 
 importance during these days. She talked among 
 her schoolfellows, with a superior air, about the 
 boarding-school to which she was going, and any 
 qualms she may have felt were hidden by her pride. 
 She was glad to think of having some change in her 
 life, to leave the little valley and the old people who 
 had been so good to her. Life was dull in the cave- 
 dwelling, and she looked forward to unknown delights 
 in the city. 
 
 The day fixed for the opening of school arrived. 
 Wang-tien-en and his wife had returned a few days 
 previously, and the little day-school was already at 
 work, some new pupils having been added. They 
 all turned out to watch Pomegranate and her grand- 
 father start for the city. The old man had tied a 
 sack of wheat on one side of his wheelbarrow ; 
 Pomegranate's quilt and bundle of clothing were 
 placed on the other side, ready for the little girl to 
 mount as soon as she had said her farewells. Many 
 were the injunctions given her by her grandmother 
 at parting. The old woman's tears fell fast, and 
 Pomegranate felt it necessary to shed a few, though 
 excitement prevented her from feeling regret. 
 5 
 
66 Pomegranate 
 
 " She will be home at harvest-time, Mrs. Fan ; 
 three months will soon pass," said Pearl, trying to 
 comfort her. 
 
 " Who knows if I shall be living in three months' 
 time ? " sobbed Mrs. Fan ; " and what if the child is 
 homesick so far away ? " 
 
 " The ladies are very kind, and Kai-hsin-mei will 
 be a friend to her," said Pearl, 
 
 Pomegranate made a ceremonious bow to her 
 teacher, Mr. Wang, and said good-bye to her school- 
 fellows. She walked down the path proudly conscious 
 of her new red jacket and bright green trousers, and 
 at the end of the valley climbed on the wheelbarrow 
 and rode off in state. The old man grasped the 
 handles firmly to guide the barrow on the rough 
 road, but the weight was supported by a strap over 
 his shoulder. A good-natured young fellow who 
 was going as far as the ferry offered to pull in front, 
 so they went on quickly. 
 
 When they reached the ferry and got on the 
 boat, Mr. Fan was glad to rest, while Pomegranate 
 watched the busy scene with interest. Some mules 
 were plunging and kicking, refusing to jump on the 
 boat, being frightened by the swaying craft and 
 glistening water. The boatmen were quarrelling 
 with a man who had just been ferried over and who 
 refused to pay his fare. Well-dressed merchants, 
 
Going to School 67 
 
 wearing huge spectacles, sat in their carts, calmly 
 surveying the scene. Hawkers of pea-nuts and 
 sweet stuff carried their baskets on board, and did 
 a good trade among the passengers. Among the 
 last to come on board were a farmer, and his 
 daughter mounted on a donkey. 
 
 " Just in time," said the man. " If we had missed 
 this boat we should have had to wait, and then we 
 should not have reached the city till dark." 
 
 He placed his daughter next to Pomegranate, and 
 squatted beside her, mopping his brow with a blue 
 cloth. 
 
 " Whither are you escorting your daughter, 
 brother ? " asked a fellow-passenger. 
 
 " She is going back to school," answered the man. 
 
 " Oh, you are one of those who believe in 
 educating girls, are you ? For my part, I find it 
 hard enough to pay fees for my son." 
 
 " To what school does your daughter go, my 
 friend ? " asked Fan-ta-yie. 
 
 " To the foreign school under Teacher Lao," 
 replied the man. 
 
 " I am escorting my grandchild to the same 
 place," said Fan-ta-yie. " I shall be glad to travel 
 in your company." 
 
 " You will be welcome," said the man. " Where 
 is your honourable dwelling ? " 
 
68 Pomegranate 
 
 " My name is Fan, and I come from Chen-chia- 
 kou, some miles to the west of this feny. May I 
 ask your honourable name ? " 
 
 " My name is Hsia, from the village of Fang 
 Tswen. Are you a church-member ? " 
 
 "Yes, I have been a church-member for more 
 than a year." 
 
 " Chen-chia-kou is surely the place where Wang- 
 tien-en is teacher, is it not ? I know him well," said 
 Mr. Hsia. " Now I remember that he has spoken 
 of Fan-ta-yie, and that must be you, my honourable 
 friend." 
 
 Mr. Fan acknowledged the compliment, and the 
 two men chatted like old friends, while the girls 
 looked shyly at one another. 
 
 " Do you know Mrs. Wang ? I know her too," 
 said the elder girl at last. 
 
 " Yes, she is my teacher," said Pomegranate. 
 
 " Kai-hsin-mei went to Chen-chia-kou in the 
 autumn. She told us about it; are you Pome- 
 granate ? " 
 
 " Yes," said the child, glsid to have found a friend. 
 " How long have you been at school ? " 
 
 " I have been two years at the city school, but I 
 read three years in a village school before that," said 
 the other. 
 
 " What is your name ? " next asked Pomegranate. 
 
Going to School 69 
 
 " Hsia-lan-mei," said the girl. 
 
 The two men unrolled some bundles and gave 
 pieces of bread to the girls, saying, " Eat while we 
 are on the boat ; we will get bowls of broth at an 
 inn ; thus we shall save time." 
 
 After the long, dry winter the river was very low ; 
 a little later the melting snows from the distant hills 
 would flush the shallow stream, but at present the 
 channel was hard to find, and several times the boat 
 stuck in sand-banks, and the boatmen had to jump 
 into the water and push it off. At last the voyage 
 was accomplished, and the sun showed that noon 
 was at hand. 
 
 " Now, children, we must lose no time," said Mr. 
 Hsia ; '' you can walk a little and let your friend 
 ride the donkey. The old man has a heavy barrow 
 to push." 
 
 They soon came to a wayside food-shop, and the 
 girls sat under a tree drinking millet-broth which 
 the men brought them. Then they went on again, 
 along level roads between the wheatfields, showing 
 green with the springing blades which had been 
 kept fresh by the winter's snow. 
 
 " Fine prospect for harvest," said Fan-ta-yie. 
 
 " By the grace of God we shall have plenty to 
 eat," replied Hsia. 
 
 Presently they came within sight of the great city 
 
70 Pomegranate 
 
 walls, and following Mr. Hsia they soon reached the 
 school. The front gate was open, and the gate- 
 keeper greeted Mr. Hsia as an old friend. He 
 helped him unload the donkey, and then turned to 
 Fan-ta-yie. 
 
 " Please put the sack of wheat and the barrow in 
 a corner, and follow me with your pupil's bundle," 
 he said. 
 
 The two girls, carrying their quilts, and the men 
 with the other luggage, went across the yard and 
 into an inner court. Here was another large gate, 
 where the men put down the bundles and returned 
 to the lodge. A bright young woman came forward 
 to greet Hsia-lan-mei. 
 
 " Where is Teacher Lao ? Here is a new pupil," 
 said the gatekeeper. 
 
 " She is in the east dormitory ; the new pupil's 
 place is there." 
 
 " Come with me. Pomegranate," said Hsia-lan- 
 mei, and she led her to the room where Miss 
 Lander was arranging for the comfort of other 
 new-comers. 
 
 " So this is Pomegranate," she said. " I hope 
 you will be very happy here. I have put you next 
 to Kai-hsin-mei, as you know her a little. She will 
 be here before long. She and some other pupils 
 are coming together, and they have a long journey. 
 
Going to School 71 
 
 Hsia-lan-mei, be kind to Pomegranate, and take 
 her to supper when the bell rings." 
 
 Another new pupil was crying at the strange 
 surroundings, and needed comforting, so Miss 
 Lander had to leave Pomegranate. 
 
 " Come and greet our teacher," said Hsia-lan-mei, 
 leading her to a door from the other side of which 
 talk and laughter were heard. 
 
 " Come in," was the reply to their knock, and 
 Pomegranate found herself amongst a merry group, 
 standing beside a k'ang on which was seated a 
 young woman with a tiny baby wrapped in her 
 jacket, and a bigger child playing beside her. 
 
 " Teacher Chang, this is Pomegranate, from 
 Chen-chia-kou," said Hsia-lan-mei, pushing her 
 forward. 
 
 "There's a nice little pupil," said Mrs. Chang 
 cheerfully. " You are one of Mrs. Wang's scholars, 
 are you not ? What is your surname ? " 
 
 " Fan," said Pomegranate, making a polite bow. 
 
 " Our new pupil has good manners, you see," said 
 Mrs. Chang to the other girls. " Now go to supper, 
 the bell is ringing." 
 
 " May I bring in your supper, teacher ? " said 
 one. 
 
 " Yes, please do ; the children are tired, and I will 
 stay with them till they sleep," she replied. 
 
72 Pomegranate 
 
 Pomegranate sat next to Hsia-lan-mei at one 
 side of a small square table. Great plates of hot 
 steamed bread, bowls of broth, and little saucers of 
 vegetable and pickle were provided, and the healthy 
 appetites of the girls soon made the viands dis- 
 appear. During the meal another party of scholars 
 arrived, and trooped into the dining-room, laughing 
 and talking all together. After noisy greetings 
 they sat down and shared the food. Pomegranate 
 saw that Kai-hsin-mei was at another table, and 
 felt less lonely as she was near. When all had 
 finished, a few of the girls gathered up the bowls, 
 saucers, and chop-sticks, and wiped the tables with 
 cloths. The rest ran into the schoolroom and lit 
 the tiny oil-lamps which stood on the teacher's 
 desk. 
 
 " Take your places. Teacher Lao is coming," said 
 one of the elder girls, distributing Bibles and 
 hymn-books. 
 
 Presently Miss Lander and Miss Cullingworth 
 came in, and the roll was called. Several new 
 pupils had no names, being known as " big girl " or 
 " little girl " at home, and Miss Lander asked the 
 teacher to choose names for them on ^e following 
 day. Then a portion of Scripture was read, and a 
 hymn sung, and the day closed with prayer. 
 
 " To-morrow we shall arrange you all in classes, 
 
Going to School 73 
 
 and regular work will begin," said Miss Lander 
 brightly. " Until you have the plan of the week's 
 work hung in your classrooms, you may go on 
 studying your classics from the point where you 
 left oiif last year. Be specially careful to make the 
 new pupils feel at home amongst us. Help them if 
 they have any trouble. Each of you big girls knows 
 which little girl is under her charge. Now go to 
 bed, and put your lights out quickly. Let there be 
 no talking, for you need sleep after your travel." 
 
 Miss Lander called Pomegranate to follow her as 
 she left the schoolroom. 
 
 " Your grandfather wants to see you to-night," 
 she said, " so come with me." 
 
 In the guest-room Fan-ta-yie was waiting for 
 them. He stood up and thanked the lady for her 
 care of the child. 
 
 " She is safer with you than with me," he said ; 
 " you treat your pupils better than father or mother 
 can do." 
 
 Miss Lander made a suitable reply to this com- 
 pliment, and left them alone for a few moments' 
 chat. 
 
 " Are you happy ? Have you had supper ? " the 
 old man asked. 
 
 "Yes, grandfather. Shall you be here to- 
 morrow ? " 
 
74 Pomegranate 
 
 " I am going into the city in the morning, and 
 will return and see you before I go home. Is there 
 anything you need ? " 
 
 " Please buy me a comb, and the books of 
 Mencius," said the child. 
 
 Miss Lander led her back to school, and said, 
 " Now sleep well ; Kai-hsin-mei will be your 
 friend." 
 
CHAPTER IX 
 
 The First Day at School 
 
 NEXT morning little Pomegranate awoke as 
 usual at sunrise, and began to cry at find- 
 ing herself among so many strangers. 
 Kai-hsin-mei was already dressed, and chatting 
 with her friends, but she came at once to help 
 Pomegranate to get ready for morning prayers. 
 
 " I will comb your hair," she said, " while you 
 bind up your feet. I cannot do that, I never 
 learned the way. I hope you soon will leave off 
 that custom." 
 
 Hsia-lan-mei came in bringing a bowl of hot 
 water, and Pomegranate was told that every one 
 washed her face the first thing in the morning, so 
 she followed the rule. Then a bell rang at seven 
 o'clock, and the girls trooped into the school- 
 room and took their places ; Teacher Chang and 
 her assistant, Teacher Chen, sitting beside the 
 platform. 
 
76 Pomegranate 
 
 Miss Lander came in, followed by a white-haired 
 old man, and the pupils all stood up. 
 
 " This gentleman is Mr. Liang, who will teach 
 you writing and explain the classics," said Miss 
 Lander. " I hope you will show him what good 
 pupils girls can be, by your respect and obedience." 
 
 The girls bowed all together to the old man, who 
 responded with a dignified air. 
 
 " Please sit here, Mr. Liang. Now, girls, answer 
 to your names." 
 
 When prayers were over, the girls were ready for 
 breakfast, and then the new pupils were shown the 
 classrooms and playground. 
 
 Presently the school-bell rang, and Miss Lander 
 came in to distribute books and slates and ink-slabs. 
 Each class was called up in turn to receive the 
 necessary things from the stationery cupboard. 
 Pomegranate, among the others, had her slate and 
 pencil, brush-pen, ink-stone, water-jar, and a stick 
 of Indian ink ; she also received a new geography 
 and other books, and went back to her class with 
 the rest of the new pupils. After setting the elder 
 girls to work. Miss Lander came into the classroom. 
 At a sign from the teacher the girls stood up. 
 
 " You are many of you new to our school," said 
 Miss Lander, " and I want to speak to you at the 
 beginning of the year, so that you may understand 
 
The First Day at School 77 
 
 our rules and work may go on happily. You will 
 see a time-table on the wall, with work for every 
 day of the week except Saturday and Sunday. 
 Your teacher will follow this time-table, and you 
 must help her by being punctual and obedient. 
 Teacher Chen is here in my place, and if you 
 offend her, you offend me too. You all know that 
 pupils must be industrious and clean. I want to 
 impress on you that cleanliness of heart is more 
 important even than cleanliness of body. Be 
 truthful, honest, and kind. Never tell a lie, even to 
 save yourself from punishment ; never take anything 
 which is not your own ; remember that the books 
 you are using belong to the school, and be careful 
 not to soil or tear them ; try and help others, and 
 do not tell tales or speak spitefully. 
 
 " In a little while you will have duties entrusted to 
 you, helping in the kitchen, serving the food, and so 
 on. I expect you to undertake these duties cheer- 
 fully ; they will fit you for the future, for we must 
 not neglect household work though we learn to read 
 and write. On Saturday we have no teaching. 
 You will have leisure to bathe, wash your clothes, 
 and sew ; we want you to run in the yard and play 
 games also, so that you may keep in good health. 
 If you are not well, I wish you to come to me when 
 school closes at midday. No medicine must be 
 
78 Pomegranate 
 
 taken which does not come from me. Do you all 
 understand ? " 
 
 " Yes, Teacher Lao," they replied. 
 
 Then Miss Lander told them each to write a 
 slateful of figures that she might see them later, 
 and left them in the charge of Teacher Chen. There 
 was much to be done before the wheels could run 
 smoothly, just at the beginning of term. 
 
 Fan-ta-yie came at noon to see Pomegranate, 
 little Precious Stone's brother was fetched to com- 
 fort her, one or two fathers came for a final word 
 with their daughters, so Miss Lander had quite 
 a number of interviews going on in her Chinese 
 guest-room. 
 
 " Here is your comb, Pomegranate, and the books 
 of Mencius," said Fan-ta-yie. " Have you any 
 message for your grandmother ? " 
 
 " Please give her my greetings, and say that 
 every one is very kind," said the child. 
 
 " Have you spoken about your shoes, yet ? " 
 
 " No, grandfather, but I want to unbind ; all the 
 girls have natural feet here." 
 
 " If you please, Teacher Lao, may I ask you to 
 take the trouble to have a pair of shoes made for 
 Pomegranate of the natural shape, and will you be 
 so good as to see that she is helped to unbind her 
 feet ? " said Mr. Fan politely. " Here is some cash 
 
The First Day at School 79 
 
 to buy the material, and if you will kindly send a 
 pattern, my wife will make her the next pair she 
 needs." 
 
 "With pleasure, Mr. Fan," said Miss Lander. 
 " I am glad Pomegranate wishes to unbind." 
 
 " Be obedient to your teacher. Pomegranate. 
 Many thanks for all your kindness, lady," and 
 Mr. Fan went off trundling the empty barrow. 
 
 In the afternoon, old Mr. Liang entered Pome- 
 granate's classroom with a stately step to give a 
 writing-lesson. His white beard gave him a vener- 
 able appearance. His finger-nails were an inch 
 long, showing that he did no manual work. 
 
 " Prepare your copy-books," he said, and showed 
 them how to cut large sheets of paper to a conven- 
 ient size, and fasten the leaves together with twisted 
 strings of paper. Then they put their new brush- 
 pens to soak in their tiny water-jars, and poured 
 a little water on to their ink-stones. 
 
 " Wrap a piece of paper round one end of your 
 ink-stick," he commanded. " Now rub it firmly on 
 the ink-stone with even pressure, always going the 
 same way round. Put it down on the edge of the 
 stone, so as not to mark the table. See if your 
 pen is softened. Now here are your copies. What 
 is your name, child ? Red-apple ? Well, give these 
 copies round to the class." 
 
8o Pomegranate 
 
 Each child as she received the copy written by 
 the teacher placed it under the first leaf of her book, 
 and pressed it down with a square frame of brass. 
 The characters showed through clearly. 
 
 " Rest your arm on the table ; keep the wrist 
 up," said the teacher, " Hold your pen perfectly 
 upright ; down-strokes thick, raise the pen lightly 
 to the left " ; and so he went on, sometimes exclaim- 
 ing at their clumsiness, and sometimes taking the 
 pen himself to show them the right method. It 
 was tiring work, and they were glad when the 
 lesson ended. 
 
 After that the little pupils prepared a lesson 
 for the next day under the care of Chen-la-chie, 
 and presently the fading light warned them that 
 school-time was over. The teacher gave out a 
 hymn, and after singing it the children rushed out 
 into the playground for a game before supper. 
 
 Pomegranate sat and watched them ; she could 
 not run as fast as those natural-footed girls, but 
 she wanted to join them, and was glad when a 
 little girl came up, calling : — 
 
 " Pomegranate, Teacher Lao wants you ; she is 
 in the sewing-woman's room." 
 
 Miss Lander had some pieces of red calico, and 
 black velvet, and was talking to Mrs. Hou about 
 the new shoes. 
 
The First Day at School 8i 
 
 " The child must loosen her bandages every day," 
 said the woman, " and by the time I have finished 
 the shoes she will be able to wear them." 
 
 " See, Pomegranate, here is a bottle of oil. Every 
 night you are to bathe your feet in hot water, and 
 Mrs. Hou will rub them with oil. When you put 
 on the bandages in the morning they must be 
 quite loose. If your feet swell, and hurt you, you 
 must try to bear the pain. It will soon be over, 
 and then you will be able to run like your school- 
 fellows." 
 
 Pomegranate listened to her instructions, and 
 looked on with pleasure while the shoes were 
 planned. They were to be red, with ornaments 
 of black velvet edged with green braid ; and little 
 Red-apple's shoes were taken as a pattern. 
 
 " Now, Pomegranate, there is work for you to 
 do," said Miss Lander. " You can sew, can you 
 not? You must have a pair of socks to wear 
 when you leave off bandages. Mrs. Hou will cut 
 you out some calico socks, and you must stitch 
 them yourself. You cannot join the others in 
 their games yet, so you will have plenty of time 
 to get them done out of school hours." 
 
 Pomegranate was not very pleased to hear that 
 she must make her own socks, but she did not like 
 to show what she felt. To-night, at any rate, the 
 6 
 
82 Pomegranate 
 
 socks were not ready, and she went back to watch 
 the others until supper was ready. After that came 
 evening prayers, and then an hour's preparation for 
 the next day's work. Pomegranate was tired with 
 her first day of boarding-school life. It had been 
 full of new experiences and excitement. She slept 
 soundly on her little wooden bed next to Kai-hsin- 
 mei, and did not wake till the school-bell summoned 
 the girls to early-morning recitation. 
 
 As the days and weeks went by, she became 
 accustomed to the regular routine ; and before long 
 was able to join her companions in their merry 
 games, rejoicing in the freedom of natural feet. 
 
CHAPTER X 
 
 Pomegranate in Trouble 
 
 LITTLE Pomegranate was in disgrace. She 
 _j had found the long term trying, with its 
 close study and regular hours. To-day 
 she had rebelled. Her class was busy revising 
 the term's work, in preparation for the examination 
 at the end of the month ; Pomegranate had hardly 
 answered one question correctly, and when reproved 
 by her teacher had answered rudely. Chen-la-chie 
 had worked hard herself to teach and train these 
 little girls who were away from home for the first 
 time ; she wanted them to do her credit, and several 
 of them seemed paralysed at the thought of the 
 examination which was so near. The class 
 seemed to her to be more backward than it 
 was a month ago, and she was very much dis- 
 appointed. She spoke sharply to Pomegranate, 
 and the child flung down her book and stamped 
 
 her foot. At this moment Miss Lander came 
 
 83 
 
84 Pomegranate 
 
 in, having heard the sound of angry voices from 
 outside. 
 
 " Pomegranate, pick up your book at once. Do 
 you speak like this to your teacher ? " 
 
 Pomegranate flung herself on a bench with her 
 head on the table, sobbing and storming. The 
 other children looked on horror-struck. Chen-la- 
 chie turned white with anger and annoyance. 
 
 " What has happened. Teacher Chen ? Tell me 
 quietly about it," said Miss Lander. 
 
 " She is a most disobedient and unruly child ; 
 she will not work on purpose to disgrace me. She 
 will get no marks in the examination, and I shall 
 lose face," said Chen-la-chie, who was very angry. 
 
 " Go to your seats, children, and do not speak. 
 Work these sums which I will write on the black- 
 board. Pomegranate, go into your bedroom and 
 stay there," said Miss Lander. 
 
 Pomegranate did not dare to disobey. She 
 rushed noisily out of the room and across the yard. 
 
 " Now work these sums in silence ; I shall come 
 back presently to see the answers," said Miss 
 Lander; then, going up to the teacher, she quietly 
 bade her to follow. 
 
 When they reached Miss Lander's study, she 
 said, " I can see you are very tired ; have you found 
 the term's work very trying ? " 
 
Pomegranate in Trouble 85 
 
 Bursting into tears, the girl answered, " I have 
 worked so hard with those children, and it all seems 
 wasted. I wanted to teach them well, and this 
 shows I am useless. Pomegranate is bright and 
 clever, she could do well if she tried, but she is lazy 
 and answers rudely. I get so angry with her." 
 
 " That is a mistake," said Miss Lander ; " it is a 
 pity to get angry, because you lose power then. 
 Remember that you are ten years older than 
 Pomegranate, and have been a Christian for five 
 years." 
 
 " I never get angry with Red-apple, though she 
 is so backward. She always tries her best, and is 
 quiet and obedient." 
 
 " Yes, she is a dear child, and we all love her. 
 But we must be patient with the difficult pupils as 
 well as with the obedient ones. They are all lambs 
 of Christ's flock, and we are under-shepherds for 
 Him. Try again to win Pomegranate's love. She 
 will be a bright jewel to bring to the Master." 
 
 On leaving Chen-la-chie, Miss Lander went to 
 the bedroom to which she had sent Pomegranate. 
 She found the child lying on her bed, rolled up in 
 her wadded quilt, which was pulled over her head. 
 She did not answer when Miss Lander spoke to her, 
 pretending to be asleep. At last Miss Lander 
 shook her shoulder, and told her to get up. 
 
86 Pomegranate 
 
 " I am ill," said Pomegranate rudely. 
 
 " Do you hear me tell you to get up ? Have 
 you forgotten your manners ? Rise instantly ! " 
 said Miss Lander sternly. 
 
 The child sat up, pouting. Her hair was in 
 disorder and tears disfigured her face. 
 
 " Put on your shoes and stand up ! " was the next 
 command. 
 
 Pomegranate did not dare to disobey; but she 
 took as long as she could to find her shoes, and 
 then stood, hanging her head and scowling, with 
 one shoulder turned to Miss Lander. 
 
 " Pomegranate, you have been here nearly three 
 months now," said Miss Lander. "You have 
 received much kindness from your teachers. Is 
 this right conduct in return ? " 
 
 The child pouted and wriggled but did not speak. 
 
 " Your grandparents are trying to pay for your 
 being here because they desire you to be trained in 
 Christian ways. They love you. Pomegranate, and 
 often think of their little girl, and look forward to 
 the time when you will be at home for holidays." 
 
 " I want to go home ! " burst out Pomegranate. 
 " Send me at once ; I will walk all the way ; let me 
 go home." 
 
 " What, do you want to go back to Chen-chia-kou 
 in disgrace? If you went home now, every one 
 
Pomegranate in Trouble 87 
 
 would ask why you had returned ; they all know 
 you are to be fetched at the end of the month." 
 
 Pomegranate sobbed ; she had not thought of the 
 disgrace before, but only of her own anger. 
 
 " Now tell me what is the matter ; what made 
 you behave so rudely to Teacher Chen this morning ? " 
 asked Miss Lander. 
 
 " I am tired of lessons ; I cannot remember all 
 the books. She scolded me because I could not 
 answer the questions." 
 
 " But how is that ? A little while ago you 
 answered so well. In my class you often get the 
 highest marks. You are not stupid, Pomegranate. 
 I am afraid you are lazy." 
 
 " I'm not lazy, I do try," muttered the child. 
 
 " Now, Pomegranate, listen to me. There are 
 still two weeks before the examination, and if you 
 really work well, you will be able to answer all the 
 questions, and gain good marks. We must first ask 
 Teacher Chen to forgive you, and allow you to go 
 back to her class." 
 
 Pomegranate shook her head, and began to cry 
 again. " She won't forgive me, she will only scold." 
 
 " Teacher Chen will forgive you if you are sorry. 
 You must ask her properly, and show that you really 
 mean what you say by behaving well in future. It 
 will please me very much if you will do this. I do 
 
88 Pomegranate 
 
 not want my little Pomegranate to go home in 
 disgrace." 
 
 The little girl still looked doubtful. Miss Lander 
 continued : " Besides, there is another reason : I heard 
 you singing the other day 'Jesus loves the little 
 children,' and you looked so happy. Do you think 
 Jesus is pleased with you now ? You have grieved 
 Him by your conduct to-day. I want you to re- 
 member His example, how He went home to 
 Nazareth and was subject to His mother ; obeying 
 her in everything. Now here in school your teachers 
 take the place of parents for the time, and to please 
 Him you must try to submit to us. You do not 
 know what is best for you. We are older and can 
 direct you. If you were allowed to play in the 
 fields all the while, you would grow up ignorant ; 
 while you have the opportunity, you must work 
 hard and learn all you can. Then in the future 
 you will be a useful girl, and perhaps can teach 
 others. Now run away and get some water to 
 wash your face. When you are ready come to my 
 room, and I will take you to Teacher Chen." 
 
 " Not in the schoolroom," pleaded Pomegranate. 
 
 " Yes, in the schoolroom ; for all the class heard 
 your rudeness, and must hear your apology." 
 
 So presently Miss Lander led her up to the 
 teacher's desk, and Pomegranate said, " Please for- 
 
Pomegranate in Trouble 89 
 
 give me ; I spoke rudely, but I will try not to do 
 it again." 
 
 " If you would only work hard, you could do 
 well," said Chen-la-chie, who was feeling very sore. 
 " Let me see that you mean to improve, and we 
 will say no more about to-day." 
 
 So Pomegranate sat down at her desk, feeling 
 very much subdued, and Miss Lander looked over 
 the slates of the other children. Pomegranate liked 
 arithmetic, and liked Miss Lander; and it was 
 another blow that she had been absent while the 
 others were being tested in this subject. 
 
 When dinner-time came. Pomegranate did not 
 want any food ; but Teacher Chang sent a big 
 girl to look for her, so she had to appear, and 
 after taking a little hot broth she felt better. 
 During the afternoon classes her teachers had no 
 cause to complain of her work. 
 
CHAPTER XI 
 The Last Day of the Term 
 
 MISS ETHEL CULLINGWORTH had only 
 been in China for a short time, and the 
 study of the language had occupied all her 
 attention. She was looking forward to helping 
 Miss Lander in school-work, and as the term drew 
 to a close she prepared a short address to give to 
 the girls. 
 
 On the last day of term the ladies were very 
 busy adding up marks and making lists. The girls 
 were packing up books, washing ink-stones, water- 
 jars, and slates, and putting them away in the school 
 cupboards. The cloths and towels were washed and 
 folded up, the blackboards cleaned, waste-paper 
 cleared away, and all made neat and tidy for the 
 long summer holiday. At last, late in the afternoon, 
 the school-bell was rung, and the scholars assembled 
 to hear the results of the examinations. Pome- 
 granate was fourth in her class, while Red-apple 
 
The Last Day of the Term 91 
 
 was third. Kai-hsin-mei took a high place among 
 the seniors, and won some special words of com- 
 mendation for the neatness and accuracy of her 
 papers. Then Miss Lander announced a competition 
 for the holidays. 
 
 " I want you each to make a pair of shoes, nicely 
 embroidered and well stitched, before you return at 
 the end of the summer," she said. " There will be 
 three prizes offered, one for girls under fourteen, one 
 for girls between fourteen and sixteen, and one for 
 girls over sixteen. The quality of the material will 
 not be considered, but excellence of sewing will gain 
 the prize. Choose strong materials, rather than 
 showy ones. You all now have unbound feet, so 
 you will make natural-shaped shoes, of course. I 
 should not offer a prize for small shoes. Every 
 part of the work must be done by your own hands, 
 and I put you on your honour not to get help from 
 any one. 
 
 " Now there is another thing I wish to say to you 
 before we have our parting service. It is sometimes 
 remarked by visitors who come to see the school that 
 we are training you for a position which is not open 
 to you, and unfitting you for the life of the home. 
 If you learn your lessons aright, you will know that 
 all true knowledge helps us to live better lives, and 
 do better work in any station. We learn from the 
 
92 Pomegranate 
 
 example of Jesus that we may be pleasing to God, 
 and do His work in lowly homes, and ordinary 
 occupations, and we may glorify God by humble 
 service as well as in more exalted work. So I want 
 you, my pupils, during the summer to be specially 
 helpful to your parents in the busy harvest season ; 
 do not refuse to soil your fingers because you are 
 scholars, but rather do your work the better because 
 you are educated. Help your mothers in the house- 
 work, making food for the men in the fields ; help 
 on the threshing-floor, binding the straw ; help in 
 unpicking, and washing, and remaking the winter 
 clothes ; carry the baby, fetch water, do any- 
 thing you can. No work is too lowly to be 
 pleasing to God, if it is done cheerfully in His 
 service. 
 
 " Now, Miss Cullingworth is going to lead our 
 worship for the first time. When prayers are over, 
 go quickly to bed, and sleep well, for some of you 
 will start at daybreak to-morrow, and your fathers 
 are already here to fetch you." 
 
 Then Ethel announced a parting hymn, and after- 
 wards gave a carefully prepared address, to which 
 the girls listened with interest. They knew that 
 she, as well as they, had been examined, and were 
 as proud of her success as of their own. At the 
 close several prayers were offered, and the scholars 
 
The Last Day of the Term 93 
 
 separated for sUpper and bed, while Miss Lander 
 and Ethel left the school. 
 
 Several men who had come to fetch their 
 daughters were anxious to see the ladies, and they 
 went at once to the guest-room. 
 
 Old Mr. Fan was the first to come in. He 
 made a polite bow, and was asked to sit down. 
 
 " How is Pomegranate's grandmother ? " asked 
 Miss Lander. " I hope she is well." 
 
 " Yes, she is well ; she sent a message of greeting 
 to you, and thanks you for all your kindness to 
 Pomegranate. I hope the child has not caused you 
 much trouble." 
 
 " She has good abilities, but lacks industry," 
 replied Miss Lander. " She has improved lately, 
 and is fourth in her class. When she has been a 
 longer time in school we hope she will become more 
 satisfactory." 
 
 " We miss her at home," said the old man ; " we 
 are getting old, and cannot work so hard as we used 
 to do. I have hired a man to help with the 
 harvest." 
 
 "We have specially told the girls to be helpful 
 and industrious during the harvest season ; we do not 
 want them to despise homely duties because they are 
 scholars," said Miss Lander. " Please take my compli- 
 ments to your wife ; I hope to meet her some day." 
 
94 Pomegranate 
 
 " You are very kind. Good-evening," said the 
 old man, as he bowed to both of the ladies. 
 
 Before daybreak, Miss Lander heard the girls 
 running to and fro ; and she rose hastily and went 
 out to see them depart. 
 
 " Have you all had some food ? " she inquired. 
 
 " No, it is too early to eat. We have drunk some 
 broth," they replied, " and we have some bread in 
 our bundles." 
 
 Several girls were sharing a cart under the escort 
 of an old man. They were busy packing their 
 quilts and bundles into it before climbing in 
 themselves. 
 
 " Good-bye, teacher," they said. " Thank you for 
 all the trouble you have taken for us." 
 
 Mr. Fan had brought a donkey for Pomegranate ; 
 and the little girl rode off happily to her country 
 home, looking forward to the welcome she knew 
 was awaiting her there. 
 
CHAPTER XII 
 
 Home for the Holidays 
 
 POMEGRANATE asked her grandfather many 
 questions as they journeyed homeward. 
 Could Teacher Wang's baby walk yet? 
 Who was the best pupil in the school at Chen- 
 chia-kou ? How many chickens had the old hen 
 this spring ? Had Mrs. Su got safely back to the 
 village after her stay in the hospital ? How many 
 silkworms was grandmother rearing this season ? 
 
 The old man answered as he led the donkey 
 carefully over the rough road. 
 
 " Mrs. Su came back safely, along with her 
 husband. Dr. Everett helped them to get a cart, as 
 they were too old to walk all the way. Mr. Su has 
 come to service every week since, and his wife has 
 been twice. She suffers a good deal, but takes a 
 few pills of medicine when the pain is worst. She 
 has promised the doctor not to take any opium, and 
 to leave off the medicine when the box is finished." 
 
 93 
 
96 Pomegranate 
 
 " What about the teacher's baby, grandfather ? " 
 
 " I did not notice the child ; last time I saw him 
 his father was carrying him inside his jacket. But 
 your grandmother needs your help with the silk- 
 worms, Pomegranate. We should have been glad to 
 have you a week ago, but could not fetch you till 
 school closed. We have been obliged to share with 
 Mrs. Chin, this year, as we could not be up night 
 and day as well. Mrs. Chin has a daughter-in-law 
 and a daughter at home, so with grandmother there 
 were four to help, and she will have one fourth of 
 the profits. I have to call at Yao-tien on the way 
 home, as we need more mulberry leaves for the 
 silkworms." 
 
 Pomegranate was not very pleased to hear this ; 
 she had hoped to escape the task of feeding silk- 
 worms by being at school until they formed 
 cocoons. She disliked the soft white grubs which 
 ate so greedily, and crawled lazily over the mats 
 till they could crawl no longer because they were 
 so fat. But they were very profitable, and during 
 the end of May all the villagers gave up their 
 homes to the silkworms. 
 
 When they reached Yao-tien they stopped at 
 a farm where there was a grove of mulberry trees, 
 and Mr. Fan bought so many branches and twigs 
 that Pomegranate was nearly covered by the leaves. 
 
Home for the Holidays 97 
 
 Presently they came within sight of the Valley 
 of Chen-chia-kou. 
 
 Pomegranate's schoolfellows were waiting to greet 
 her, and received her with yells and shouts of 
 welcome. 
 
 " Hullo, Pomegranate has come ! " they cried. 
 " Are you well ? Have you had a good journey ? " 
 
 The little girl got down from the donkey and 
 bowed to them ceremoniously before beginning to 
 chat ; her grandfather drove the donkey slowly 
 up the steep road, and took the mulberry leaves 
 to his wife, who was dozing in preparation for a 
 wakeful night. 
 
 " Well, have you returned ? Where is Pome- 
 granate ? " she asked. 
 
 " She is talking to the children. Here she 
 comes." 
 
 The little girl came running in, all excitement 
 at the reception she had had. 
 
 " Grandmother, how are you ? " she said, with 
 a bow. 
 
 " Well, child, I am glad you are here," said the 
 old woman, rubbing her soft hands with her own 
 horny ones. " Mrs. Chin and I have ten mats 
 of silkworms to look after, and harvest begins 
 in three days. The silkworms are nearly ready to 
 spin, but they eat such a lot that it tires us all 
 7 
 
gS Pomegranate 
 
 out to keep them supplied. I'm glad your grand- 
 father has brought such a nice lot of leaves." 
 
 Pomegranate hung her head and pouted. She 
 would have enjoyed a little holiday and time 
 to be feted as a visitor from the city, and this 
 talk of hard work immediately did not suit her. 
 She had forgotten Miss Lander's parting words, in 
 the excitement of getting home. 
 
 " Well, you must be hungry ; get your supper 
 now, and go to bed early, child, after your journey." 
 
 Next morning Pomegranate did not wake until 
 the sun had risen for some time. Her grandmother 
 was sleeping heavily, worn out with her wakeful 
 night. The child dressed and slipped out to her 
 friends. 
 
 " Pomegranate ! " called Mrs. Chin. " Come 
 here ; your grandmother said she would send you 
 as soon as you woke. Go and help Peach-blossom 
 with the silkworms ; I must be getting breakfast, 
 and my son's wife has gone to sleep after helping 
 your grandmother all night." 
 
 Peach-blossom was a friend of Pomegranate's, 
 and a pupil of Mrs. Wang's ; so the two little girls 
 chatted happily as they worked, comparing their 
 progress in their studies, and exchanging news. 
 
 Mrs. Chin listened as she prepared the food, 
 and presently she said : — 
 
Home for the Holidays 99 
 
 " Tell us some of the sights you have seen, 
 Pomegranate." 
 
 Now, the child had seen very little outside the 
 school courtyard, but she meant to make the most 
 of it. 
 
 " The walls of the city are as high as those 
 cliffs," she said. " The gate is like a tunnel ; you 
 can hardly see the other end when you enter. 
 Houses are built on the walls. From the top you 
 can see hundreds of miles." 
 
 " Have you been up there ? " asked Peach-blossom. 
 
 " N-n-no," said Pomegranate, hesitatingly. " The 
 school-coolie told me." 
 
 " Oh, have you a coolie in school ? What does 
 he do ? " asked Mrs. Chin. 
 
 " He draws water and sweeps the yards and 
 brings us what we want," said Pomegranate loftily. 
 
 " Do you make your own food ? " was the next 
 question. 
 
 " We have cooks to do that," replied the child, 
 not explaining that the scholars had to help in turn. 
 
 " What do you do all day, then ? " 
 
 "We study; we have several teachers, and the 
 foreign lady also gives us classes. The city 
 magistrate's wife and other ladies come to visit 
 us. Their clothes are finer than you have ever 
 seen. They wear silk and satin, and embroidered 
 
loo Pomegranate 
 
 skirts ; they have attendants and slave-girls. They 
 listen while we sing to them, and they praise our 
 work," said Pomegranate, boastfully. 
 
 Her words had the desired effect on Peach- 
 blossom, for she was quite subdued at the recital 
 of so much magnificence. It seemed a great 
 condescension on the part of one who shared in 
 these brilliant scenes to sit beside her, shredding 
 mulberry leaves for the silkworms. 
 
 " What do you get to eat ? " asked Mrs. Chin, 
 
 " Pork and bean-curd, white macaroni and fine 
 bread," said Pomegranate, mentioning the dishes at 
 a special treat given at Easter. 
 
 " Then you will not care to share our humble 
 meal," said Mrs. Chin promptly. "We are only 
 going to have millet-porridge and salted turnips this 
 morning ; come, Peach-blossom. Perhaps Mr. Fan 
 is getting fine bread for his scholar." 
 
 Now Pomegranate was very hungry, and knew 
 that there would be no breakfast at home till her 
 grandmother woke up. She was punished for her 
 boastfulness, and Mrs. Chin, who was a woman of 
 sense and humour, knew this. 
 
 The child went on feeding the silkworms alone, 
 while the others ate their breakfast. At last Mrs. 
 Chin called out, " Would you like a bowl of porridge, 
 Pomegranate ? " 
 
Home for the Holidays loi 
 
 " Yes, please," said the little girl humbly ; and 
 then she added : " We have porridge every morning 
 in school, too. We only had fine bread for a 
 feast." 
 
 " I thought so," said Mrs, Chin, " And did you 
 actually see the magistrate's wife, or did the school- 
 coolie tell you that, also ? " 
 
 " No, she really came," replied the child eagerly, 
 " About six ladies, and some girls, and a baby 
 came one day from the city to see the school. 
 They had flowers in their hair, and wore lovely 
 clothes. Teacher Lao brought them into our class- 
 room, but they could not read, for they held our 
 books upside down. They sat with Teacher Chang 
 a long while," 
 
 " Well, I hope you will be a comfort to your 
 grandmother," said Mrs. Chin. " She is getting 
 old, and needs you at this busy time. You ought 
 to sit up to-night and let her rest. Does not your 
 teacher tell you to be filial ? " 
 
 " Yes, she told us to help all we could during the 
 harvest ; but I forgot," said Pomegranate, only just 
 recollecting Miss Lander's words. 
 
CHAPTER XIII 
 
 Reaping the Harvest 
 
 AT last the silkworms began to spin their 
 cocoons. One day they all lifted their 
 heads and waved them about as if searching 
 for something, and did not care to eat. Then the 
 women, who had been watching for this sign, 
 brought in branches of the fir trees, or loosely-tied 
 bundles of straw, and stuck them up over the mats. 
 The little creatures crawled up and commenced to 
 spin cocoons among the twigs. No more mulberry 
 leaves were needed. When the silkworms were 
 enclosed in their soft wrappings they were safe from 
 harm and hunger. 
 
 " It IS well they choose to spin," said Mrs. Chin, 
 " for harvest begins to-morrow, and we should have 
 had no time to attend to them." 
 
 Mr. Fan had hired a labourer to help him on his 
 little farm. The man came from the Northern 
 Hills, several days' journey away, and was a rough- 
 
Reaping the Harvest 103 
 
 looking fellow who spoke a dialect which sounded 
 strange in the ears of the villagers. He was, how- 
 ever, an honest, hard-working man, who did what 
 he was paid for, slept out in the open, and took the 
 food provided for him without grumbling. At 
 earliest dawn he and Fan-ta-yie went up to the 
 fields above the valley, and cut the wheat with 
 long knife-blades tied to handles. Pomegranate 
 and Peach-blossom worked together, tying the corn 
 into bundles. For half the day they followed 
 Fan-ta-yie ; then, after a little rest and sleep at 
 noon, they went to Mr. Chin's field and worked for 
 him. Mrs. Fan and Mrs. Chin stayed at home and 
 made food for the harvesters, who needed much 
 millet-broth to slake their thirst when the sun was 
 high. The work was very trying, and they wanted 
 extra meals owing to the very long hours. 
 
 When the wheat was all cut and tied, Fan-ta-yie 
 piled a load on his barrow and sent his man down 
 with it to his cave. He followed with a donkey 
 which he had borrowed, also laden with the precious 
 grain. Many journeys to and fro were necessary 
 before the wheat was all stacked on the threshing- 
 floor before his home. Then Pomegranate and 
 Mrs. Fan were occupied in tying up the wheat in 
 neat bundles, with the ears arranged all on one level, 
 so that they could be cut off by one stroke of the 
 
104 Pomegranate 
 
 knife of the chopping machine, leaving the straw 
 ready to be sold for thatching roofs. Fan-ta-yie and 
 the hired man meanwhile were ploughing up the land 
 preparatory to sowing the autumn crop. The stubble 
 of the wheat was gathered out of the ground by a 
 harrow, and stacked away for fuel in the winter. 
 Then the fields were left until a shower should fall 
 to soften the earth to receive the seed. 
 
 The next stage in the harvesting was the thresh- 
 ing of the wheat, A month beforehand, old Mr. 
 Fan had laboriously prepared the patch of ground 
 in front of his cave, smoothing it, and watering it, 
 and then rolling it by means of a heavy stone 
 roller harnessed to the ox, which dragged it round 
 and round obediently, as Mr. Fan stood in the 
 centre guiding the animal by a long bridle and 
 urging it on with a whip. This treatment made 
 the ground hard and level. It was carefully swept, 
 and then the ears of wheat were laid over its 
 surface; they were covered with a thick layer of 
 straw, and then the ox was again harnessed to the 
 stone roller and driven over the corn, thus crushing 
 the hard husk and allowing the grain to fall out. 
 The straw was then lifted off, and the winnowing 
 commenced. 
 
 Waiting for a fine breezy day, Fan-ta-yie and his 
 man went out with brooms, and large flat baskets 
 
Reaping the Harvest 105 
 
 i 
 
 shaped like huge dust-pans. The heaps of mingled 
 husks and grain were swept to one side, leaving the 
 threshing-floor clean and bare. Mr. Fan emptied a 
 spadeful of the mixture into the basket of the 
 labourer, who stood where the wind blew freely, and 
 tossed his load repeatedly into the air. The wind 
 caught the light husks and blew them to a little 
 distance, and they fell on the edge of the threshing- 
 floor, while the heavier grain dropped at the man's 
 feet. Several days' labour was required before all 
 the corn was winnowed. The chaff was left for 
 burning, while the grain was carefully stored 
 in large bins made of circular matting, inside the 
 cave. 
 
 While the winnowing was going on, it appeared 
 from the plain below as if large fires were in pro- 
 gress, so much did the floating chaff resemble clouds 
 of thick yellow smoke. 
 
 Then the straw had to be stacked in a rick and 
 carefully thatched and roped down, to protect it 
 from the gales of wind and rain which might now 
 be expected at any time. The weather hitherto had 
 been fine and dry, and perfect for the work of 
 harvest. But heavy clouds and occasional thunder 
 gave warning of approaching storms. 
 
 " When the first rain falls we shall be able to sow 
 the millet and cotton," said Mr. Fan. 
 
io6 Pomegranate 
 
 That night it was close and heavy ; hardly a 
 breath was moving in the gully. The leaves rustled 
 mysteriously on the trees and then became quiet. 
 Suddenly a terrific thunder-clap seemed to shake 
 the very cliifs, and the rain descended in torrents. 
 Every living thing fled for shelter to the sheds and 
 caves, the oxen lowing in their stalls, the mules and 
 donkeys straining at their halters. Standing awe- 
 struck beside her grandfather at the door of their 
 cave, Pomegranate looked out across the valley, and 
 saw each tree and roof lit up intensely for a moment 
 by the vivid lightning-flash, and then sink again 
 into utter blackness. The thunder reverberated 
 among the cliffs ; the streams of rain poured down 
 the hillside, and cut a way through the road which 
 led to the settlement. Pebbles and soil were 
 washed down in the torrent, and some of the lower 
 caves were inundated. 
 
 Presently the storm ceased as suddenly as it had 
 begun. People began to move about to see what 
 damage had been done. The thunder grew more 
 distant, and soon the village was wrapped in 
 slumber. 
 
 At daybreak the men were out in the fields, 
 sowing the seed in the soft, wet earth. Rain had 
 come just when it was needed ; now they hoped for 
 time to allow the seeds to sprout and take firm root 
 
Reaping the Harvest 107 
 
 before the next heavy fall, lest they should be 
 washed out of the ground. The sun shone in full 
 strength, and in a very short time little shoots 
 appeared, giving good promise of a heavy autumn 
 crop. 
 
 But before this, the labourers from the Northern 
 Hills had finished the work for which they had been 
 hired, and desired to move on to other districts 
 where the harvest was a little later, that they might 
 seek fresh employment. One night the villagers 
 united to give a parting feast to all the hired men, 
 before paying their wages and sending them away. 
 It was a hot evening, and the moon shone brilliantly 
 in a cloudless sky. The tables were set in the open 
 air, on a threshing-floor swept and cleaned for the 
 occasion. Various savoury dishes were set before 
 the men, who did ample justice to the fare provided 
 for them ; and afterwards they drew out their pipes, 
 and began to chat with their employers in a friendly 
 way, before leaving them on the morrow. 
 
 " There, I had almost forgotten something I had 
 to do," said the man who had worked for Fan-ta- 
 yie. " Is not this place called Chen-chia-kou, near 
 Yao-tien ? " 
 
 " Yes, certainly it is," replied Mr. Fan. 
 
 " Then I met a man from this district last autumn ; 
 he had been out beyond the Passes, trading with 
 
io8 Pomegranate 
 
 the Mongolians, and was staying at the same inn as 
 I. We were kept waiting there by heavy rains, and 
 so got talking together. He said his parents lived 
 near here, and the name comes back to me now." 
 
 " What was the name of the man ? " asked 
 several, drawing near. 
 
 " We called him Crooked Nose, because he had 
 received a blow in his youth which broke his nose," 
 said the labourer. 
 
 " Why, it might be the father of Phoenix Cry ! 
 What was his surname ? Su-ta-yie, Su-ta-yie, come 
 here and listen ; here's news for you ! " shouted 
 several, all together, in excitement. 
 
 The old man, Mr. Su, came near, leading his 
 little grandchild by the hand. He was still weak 
 from his long devotion to the opium, which he 
 and his wife had both given up as a result of Mrs. 
 Davis' visit. 
 
 " What is the matter ? Why do you call me ? " 
 he asked. 
 
 " This man has seen your son in the North. The 
 father of Phcenix Cry has returned. Is it not so, 
 friend ? " they shouted. 
 
 Hearing the noise, the women had gathered round, 
 and some one told Mrs. Su the news. Running on 
 to the threshing-floor as fast as her crippled feet 
 would let her, she flung herself on the ground 
 
Reaping the Harvest 109 
 
 before the man, crying out, " Is my son alive ? Will 
 he return ? See, I knock my head on the ground 
 before you ! Bring him back to me ! " 
 
 " Rise, aged mother," said the man, raising her 
 and helping her to a bench near. " I will tell you 
 all I know. The man whom I saw in the eleventh 
 month," he continued, turning to the eager group 
 of listeners, " was certainly named Su, and he told 
 me he had left home because of trouble caused by 
 a fight." 
 
 " True, true, it is my son ! " cried the old woman, 
 rocking herself to and fro, with tears streaming 
 down her face. 
 
 " He went northwards to escape the law," the 
 man went on, " and earned his living by working as 
 a coolie, carrying loads for travellers, pushing wheel- 
 barrows, and doing anything that turned up. In 
 the winter he suffered much privation, but in the 
 summer he did fairly well. When I met him he 
 had been away from home three years, and was 
 anxious for news of his parents and little son." 
 
 " Here he is, here is Phoenix Cry, son of my 
 son," said Su-ta-yie, pushing forward the child. 
 
 " Your son is now fairly prosperous, and has a 
 good sum of silver in the hands of a merchant," 
 went on the labourer ; " he desired me to find out 
 news of his home, if I came to this district to reap 
 
no Pomegranate 
 
 the harvest ; but I had really forgotten until to- 
 night." 
 
 " Where can he be found ? Shall you see him ? 
 Will you carry a letter ? " cried the old father. 
 
 " He told me where letters might be left for 
 him, at a certain inn in a town nine days' journey 
 from here. He travels to and fro, and is away for 
 months at a time, on business, but always visits 
 this inn on returning. If you care to write a letter 
 and entrust it to me, I will carry it for you, 
 aged sir." 
 
 " Thank you, thank you, but how can I reward 
 you ? I am very poor." 
 
 "A friendly service rendered to oblige an aged 
 father — what is that between us? I will carry 
 your letter without reward," said the good-natured 
 fellow. 
 
 So a letter was written, telling the absent son of 
 his parents' love and longing for him, of the little 
 son growing up sturdy and strong, of the death of 
 the youngest brother. It urged him to return if 
 possible, and gladden his father's heart in his old 
 age, and see his mother once again before her death. 
 Finally, Mr. Su told of their belief in the New 
 Doctrine, and the joy and comfort it had brought 
 them. 
 
 The letter was sewn up in a piece of cloth and 
 
Reaping: the Harvest tit 
 
 stitched inside the labourer's coat. Many injunc- 
 tions were given him as to its safe delivery. Mr. 
 Su's little store of tobacco was pressed on him ; and 
 he left next morning, with the thanks and benedic- 
 tions of the family following him. 
 
CHAPTER XIV 
 The Competition 
 
 BUT what of Pomegranate during these weeks ? 
 She had given up the attempt to make a 
 pair of embroidered shoes for the competi- 
 tion, finding that practice is needed before good 
 results can be obtained ; but she determined that 
 she would be more industrious in the future, and 
 learn all the various stitches required in shoe-making, 
 so that another year she might have a chance to 
 win a prize. While Mrs. Fan made her shoes, 
 Pomegranate sewed the long seams of a jacket for 
 herself, and another for her grandmother ; and was 
 rewarded by being allowed to choose a pretty braid 
 to trim it, when the travelling hawker passed that 
 way. 
 
 Then came the rain, and every one had to stay 
 under shelter for many days. When the skies 
 cleared at last the roads were almost impassable, and 
 the river was much swollen. 
 
The Competition 113 
 
 " However shall I get Pomegranate to school ? " 
 said Mr, Fan. " The ferry has been stopped for 
 three days by the flood. No one can cross." 
 
 " What is the date on which school opens, 
 Pomegranate ? " asked her grandmother. 
 
 " The fifteenth of the seventh moon," answered 
 the child. 
 
 " This is only the tenth ; there are still five days. 
 Perhaps the river will subside, and the roads may 
 dry up," said the old woman. 
 
 A few days of fine weather followed, but the mud 
 was very deep and stiffer than ever. The ferry- 
 boat had crossed once or twice, and Pomegranate 
 was anxious not to be late for school ; so, early on 
 the morning of the fifteenth, she and her grandfather 
 set out. They had again borrowed the donkey of a 
 friendly neighbour, and Pomegranate's quilt and 
 bundle, with a sack of corn, were slung across its 
 back, but she herself walked by the old man's side. 
 Leaving the main road, which was full of deep ruts, 
 they made their way across the narrow field-paths, 
 beaten smooth by the bare feet of many passengers, 
 to the ferry. They found many waiting for the 
 boat, which took a long while to cross the swollen 
 river, and once more met Hsia-lan-mei and her 
 father on their way to the city. 
 
 On the southern bank the roads were much 
 8 
 
114 Pomegranate 
 
 worse, as the ground lay low, and water was lying 
 in pools across the paths. The men took off their 
 shoes and socks, and rolled up their loose cotton 
 trousers, to carry the girls across the worst places. 
 The children at last took off their socks to prevent 
 them from being spoiled by the mud, but put on 
 their old shoes again. It was a slow and tiring 
 journey; and a very weary and bedraggled little 
 company reached the schoolhouse that evening. 
 
 " Well, you have come, have you ? " said the 
 gatekeeper. " There are less than twenty pupils in 
 school ; so many were prevented by the state of the 
 roads from setting out." 
 
 " The roads are indeed terrible," said Mr. Hsia. 
 " We passed several overturned carts, and a mule 
 almost buried in a mud-hole ; his master was trying 
 to pull him out, but the poor animal was in a ,sorry 
 plight." 
 
 " Come in and rest," said the gatekeeper, " the 
 guest-room is empty ; no one has come from a 
 distance to-day except yourselves." 
 
 The girls were glad to have supper and go to bed, 
 after bathing their muddy feet in warm water. 
 About midnight another detachment of pupils 
 arrived in carts. They had been delayed at the 
 ferry, and had had various adventures by the way ; 
 but all ended well and they came through in safety. 
 
The Competition 115 
 
 Nearly a week passed, however, before all arrived, 
 and work could go on as usual. 
 
 Twenty-nine pairs of shoes were handed in to 
 compete for the prizes Miss Lander had offered. 
 Seven little girls under fourteen, nine between 
 fourteen and sixteen, and thirteen of the older girls 
 had brought shoes, and a very pretty show they 
 made. Some were embroidered, and some were 
 adorned with patterns cut out in black velvet and 
 edged with braid. The favourite colour was scarlet, 
 but some pretty shoes were of black or dark blue. 
 Miss Lander asked Mrs. Davis' woman, and a 
 hospital assistant, to judge the shoes and award the 
 prizes, as they would have had no opportunity of 
 finding out which girls had made the shoes, and 
 therefore could not be suspected of favouring one 
 more than another. 
 
 First they saw the seven pairs brought by the 
 younger girls, and awarded the prize to Red-apple's 
 shoes; they were neat and strong; though the 
 stitches were not very fine they were regular, and did 
 credit to the little girl. In the second class, one 
 pair of shoes was decidedly superior to all the 
 others; the stitching was very fine, and the soles 
 were sewn better than any of the rest. The 
 embroidery patterns were most elaborate. The 
 women picked them up at once. " Those were 
 
ii6 Pomegranate 
 
 never made by a girl," they said ; " few women 
 could sew as finely as that. I once saw a pair 
 made by Mrs. Chou of Wooden Tower Village which 
 was as good, but no one round here works so well." 
 
 Miss Lander's heart sank. She knew that the 
 shoes had been handed in by Mrs. Chou's daughter, 
 so she said, " Please choose the pair which is next 
 best, then. We will not consider this pair to-day." 
 
 When the other awards had been made, Miss 
 Lander thanked the women, and then went to her 
 own room. She was bitterly disappointed that one 
 ot her pupils should deceive her, after she had 
 charged the girls not to get help, and put them on 
 their honour. The bell rang at the close of morn- 
 ing-school, and several girls came in to ask for 
 medicine. Among them was Sweet Fragrance, 
 daughter of Mrs. Chou. When she had dismissed 
 the others, Miss Lander turned to Sweet Fragrance 
 and asked what was the matter with her, 
 
 " I have a headache, Teacher Lao," said the child. 
 
 " Did you sleep well last night ? " asked Miss 
 Lander. 
 
 " No, teacher ; I could not sleep." 
 
 " Let me see your tongue." 
 
 The little tongue was quite healthy, so Miss 
 Lander next asked, " Why could you not sleep ? 
 Was anything troubling you ? " 
 
The Competition 117 
 
 " I — don't — know/' said the girl, hesitating. 
 
 " Come now, I will guess. You were thinking of 
 the prizes offered for the shoes." 
 
 The girl looked frightened, but said nothing, 
 
 " Sweet Fragrance, I have seen your sewing and I 
 know you cannot do such fine stitching as was in 
 those shoes. Why did you try to deceive me ? " 
 
 Sweet Fragrance pouted and hung her head, but 
 would not speak. 
 
 " Were you so very anxious to win the prize ? " 
 
 " I wanted to be better than my cousin. She is 
 always laughing at me." 
 
 " But this is not being better than she," said Miss 
 Lander. " If you had really done good sewing, I 
 should be pleased, but this is only pretence." 
 
 The big tears rolled down the girl's cheeks, but 
 she made no answer. 
 
 " Your shoes have not gained the prize ; we 
 could see at once that they were not your own 
 work," said Miss Lander. " You have gained 
 nothing, and have grieved me very much. You 
 have committed a sin in God's sight. Have you 
 forgotten how you told me you wished to be a 
 Christian, last term ? " 
 
 Sweet Fragrance sobbed in a heart-broken way. 
 " I can never be a Christian now," she cried. " I 
 am too bad ! It is because I envied my cousin 
 
ii8 Pomegranate 
 
 that I was tempted to deceive you. My mother 
 did not know about the competition ; she worked 
 the shoes for me to wear on Sundays." 
 
 " Are you willing to confess your sin to God, and 
 ask His forgiveness ? " asked Miss Lander. " If 
 you truly repent, He will pardon you. But you 
 must try to conquer your envious spirit, or it will 
 lead you into more sin. Now wrap up the shoes 
 and take them away. I can see that you are not 
 fit to do lessons this afternoon, so go into your 
 bedroom and rest there." 
 
 Sweet Fragrance went away, and was not present 
 when Miss Lander distributed the prizes, praising 
 Red-apple's pair for its strength, and White Lily's 
 for its neatness, and Believe-in-the-Truth for the 
 pains she had expended on fine stitching. 
 
 Towards evening Sweet Fragrance came again 
 to Miss Lander's room, bringing the shoes with 
 her. 
 
 " I am truly sorry," she said. " I feel happier 
 now that you know the truth, and I want to give 
 you these shoes. I can never wear them myself." 
 
 " But I cannot accept them," said Miss Lander. 
 " Can you not think of some other way ? " 
 
 " Could you sell them, teacher, and give the 
 money to the poor ? " said the girl. 
 
 "Yes, that is a good plan. I will try to sell 
 
The Competition 119 
 
 them for you. But what will you do for best 
 shoes ? " 
 
 " I shall make myself a pair, and every stitch 
 shall be my own work, though I can't sew as well 
 as my cousin," said Sweet Fragrance. 
 
CHAPTER XV 
 
 The Spoiled Book 
 
 A CHINESE lady, who had been cured of a 
 serious illness by the skill of Dr. Eva 
 Martin, who lived with Miss Lander at the 
 Mission House, brought her young daughter, Rose, 
 asking that she might be admitted as a pupil at the 
 school. Miss Lander pointed out that self-denial 
 and hard work were necessary to make a good 
 school, but Tan-tai-tai, Rose's mother, overcame all 
 objections. Rose was placed with some little girls 
 from heathen homes, who had not had the advantage 
 of a preparatory village-school training, the desul- 
 tory teaching she had received at home hardly being 
 equal to the amount they had gained in the spring 
 term. 
 
 Out of school-hours, Pomegranate was her chief 
 companion, and the little girl was flattered by the 
 favour shown her; Rose's good clothes, dainty 
 ways, and evident acquaintance with life in an 
 
The Spoiled Book 121 
 
 official home, caused her friendship to be sought by 
 girls who were far older and more advanced than 
 herself. 
 
 Especially was Hsia-lan-mei anxious to be received 
 into her little court, and she became jealous 
 of Pomegranate in consequence. Hsia-lan-mei 
 was giving some trouble to her teachers. Her 
 character was never very steady. She had good 
 abilities, but did not work hard ; and, though she 
 professed to be a Christian, she often showed a 
 disposition which made her teachers fear that no 
 real change had taken place in her heart. 
 Pomegranate, too, became more careless and 
 neglectful of her duties. She preferred to sit in 
 Mrs. Hou's room, talking to Rose, rather than take 
 her turn in cleaning the bedrooms, sweeping the 
 school, and serving the food. Kai-hsin-mei shielded 
 her once or twice, and begged her not to grieve Miss 
 Lander and Teacher Chang, who were so anxious 
 she should turn out well. Pomegranate was fond 
 of Kai-hsin-mei, and promised to do better, but the 
 glamour of Rose's friendship soon made her forget 
 her good resolutions. One day Kai-hsin-mei was 
 busy with duties of her own, and the bell rang for 
 morning school while Pomegranate was still helping 
 Rose to rearrange the contents of her box, so the 
 girls ran off to the classroom together, and were 
 
122 Pomegranate 
 
 only just in time to take their places in their own 
 classes. 
 
 Miss Lander came in on her usual round of 
 inspection. She was surprised to see the school- 
 room looking so untidy, and asked gravely : " Whose 
 duty is it to sweep the schoolroom this week ? " 
 
 " Pomegranate's," answered some one. 
 
 " How is this, Pomegranate ? " asked Miss 
 Lander. " There is torn paper on the floor ; the 
 desks have not been dusted, and everything is so 
 untidy." 
 
 " I was helping Rose," said Pomegranate. 
 
 " Why did Rose need your help ? " said Miss 
 Lander. 
 
 " She wished to have her clothes folded again," 
 was the answer. 
 
 '' Then that is no excuse for your neglect of my 
 wishes. I appointed you to sweep the classroom. 
 Helping Rose should have waited until another 
 time. I am much displeased. Now get your broom 
 and duster, and be very quick, while your classmates 
 go into the dining-room for a few minutes." 
 
 Pomegranate's pride suffered much at this rebuke. 
 She had been quite uplifted at Rose's preference for 
 herself, and now this was the cause of her disgrace. 
 The scholars in the upper school could see the 
 younger girls going into the dining-room, and 
 
The Spoiled Book 123 
 
 Hsia-lan-mei made a triumphant grimace at 
 Pomegranate as she was seen crossing the yard 
 with her broom. 
 
 Miss Lander said no more, knowing that the 
 reproof had been deeply felt. She only waited to 
 see the girls at work again when the schoolroom 
 was tidy, and went on to her own class. But 
 Pomegranate's heart was full of bitterness. She 
 hated Hsia-lan-mei for rejoicing at her disgrace, 
 and was plotting to get revenge at the first op- 
 portunity. Miss Cullingworth, who taught her class 
 twice a week, found her a most inattentive pupil, 
 and was surprised that she answered so badly, as 
 usually she liked her subject, and was bright and 
 quick. 
 
 " Why, Pomegranate," she said, " are you not 
 well to-day ? You have missed five times out of 
 eight. I am going to ask two more questions all 
 round ; do try and get half-marks at least." 
 
 But Pomegranate was too much upset by the 
 events of the morning to care about her place in 
 class ; so the result was that she had to forfeit her 
 usual half-hour's play before dinner, and study the 
 neglected task alone in the schoolroom. 
 
 Hsia-lan-mei was running past the door, but 
 stopped when she saw the child. 
 
 " Hullo, Pomegranate ! " she called spitefully, 
 
124 Pomegranate 
 
 " autumn is the time for pomegranates to be on 
 the trees, not in the schoolroom. Why don't you 
 come out and join them ? " 
 
 Pomegranate burst into tears and stamped her 
 foot, calling out ugly names, which only made 
 Hsia-lan-mei laugh the more. Just then the 
 dinner-bell rang, and her tormentor ran off. 
 
 " I will do it," muttered the child ; '' she shall 
 be disgraced as well as I. How dare she laugh at 
 me!" 
 
 Stealing into the deserted upper-school room. 
 Pomegranate opened Hsia-lan-mei's desk, and pulled 
 out a beautiful geography book, the property of the 
 school, copies of which were lent to the elder girls. 
 She tore a map right across, and crumpled up the 
 torn sheet, and then put a brush-pen into the ink 
 and made black marks across several other pages. 
 Hearing a slight sound, she hurried away, and was 
 uncertain what to do with the torn map in her hand. 
 She could not tear it up, as the pieces would be 
 recognised ; she could not burn it, as the only fire 
 was in the kitchen and the cooks would see her. 
 So she stuffed it into a crevice in the mud wall, and 
 was crossing the yard when Kai-hsin-mei met her. 
 
 " Where have you been, Pomegranate ? " she 
 said. " Dinner has begun, and Teacher Chang 
 sent me to fetch you." 
 
The Spoiled Book 125 
 
 " Miss Cullingwortii made me stay in school to 
 learn my lesson," answered Pomegranate sulkily. 
 
 " Do you know it now ? " asked the big girl 
 kindly, leading her to the dining-room. 
 
 "No," said the child. 
 
 " Then I will help you after dinner ; be quick 
 now, we have nearly finished." 
 
 Pomegranate could not eat much ; temper and 
 an uneasy conscience took away her appetite. 
 When they rose, Kai-hsin-mei took her into the 
 bedroom, and patiently taught her the neglected 
 task. The sight of Rose chatting to Hsia-lan-mei 
 in the yard made Pomegranate shake her shoulders 
 angrily, and Kai-hsin-mei asked in surprise : " What 
 is the matter ? " 
 
 " I want to be with Rose," was the only 
 answer. 
 
 " Well, you will soon know this page. Go 
 through it once more, and you will be free," said 
 Kai-hsin-mei. 
 
 " I think Rose is very pretty, don't you ? " said 
 Pomegranate. 
 
 " She is not as pretty as Precious Stone," said 
 Kai-hsin-mei; "her clothes are finer, that is 
 all." 
 
 " I like her very much," was the next remark. 
 
 " I hope you will try to lead her in the right 
 
126 Pomegranate 
 
 way," said Kai-hsin-mei. " She has never hieard 
 the Gospel, and we who know it must teach it to 
 her." 
 
 Pomegranate felt a momentary regret. 
 
 " She is so much richer than we," she said. 
 
 " But you know it says in the Bible that those 
 who have riches find it very hard to enter the 
 kingdom of heaven. That is because riches make 
 them proud, or satisfied with this world, or tempt 
 them to do evil because no one dares to reprove 
 them," said Kai-hsin-mei. " We must not be afraid 
 to speak to Rose about Jesus because her father is 
 a rich official. Her soul is just as poor as any one's 
 in God's sight." 
 
 " Well, I know my lesson now. Thank you for 
 helping me, Kai-hsin-mei," said Pomegranate as 
 she ran off. 
 
 Next morning came the geography lesson, which 
 Miss Lander gave the elder girls. She was very 
 strict, and required punctuality, neatness, and well- 
 prepared lessons. Questions on last week's subject 
 opened the class, and when these were over Miss 
 Lander told the girls to open their books at a 
 certain place. Hsia-lan-mei gave a gasp of horror. 
 A black ink-stain disfigured the page, and Miss 
 Lander looked much annoyed. Hsia-lan-mei was 
 careless with her books, and had soiled others, 
 
The Spoiled Book 127 
 
 though so far the new and costly geography book 
 had been kept clean. 
 
 " How did that happen, Hsia-lan-mei ? " she 
 asked. 
 
 " I don't know, Teacher Lao, indeed I don't," was 
 the answer. " The book was clean when I prepared 
 my lesson yesterday morning." 
 
 " Did you let your pen fall into your desk, as you 
 did once before ? " asked Miss Lander. 
 
 " No, I did not ; I have been very careful all this 
 term," said the girl. 
 
 " Is that all the damage, or are other pages 
 soiled ? " asked the teacher. 
 
 " Oh, just look ! This map has been torn in two, 
 and all these pages are marked ! " said Hsia-lan- 
 mei, half-crying with vexation, 
 
 " Now think carefully, Hsia-lan-mei, Can you 
 account for this in any way ? " 
 
 " No, I cannot ! Indeed, indeed, I did not do 
 this, Teacher Lao," said Hsia-lan-mei excitedly. 
 " I call Heaven to witness — ■ — " 
 
 " Stop at once ! " said Miss Lander sternly. 
 " You know I do not allow you to say such solemn 
 words over a slight matter. The simple ' Yes ' or 
 ' No ' of a Christian ought to be enough. Now, girls, 
 can any of you throw light on this matter? An 
 accident may be forgiven, but wilful concealment 
 
128 Pomegranate 
 
 will lead to punishment. Do you know who did 
 this?" 
 
 " No, Teacher Lao ! " said all the girls. 
 
 " Very well, we will go on with our lesson. Do 
 not cry, Hsia-lan-mei." 
 
 But attention was divided that morning, and the 
 geography lesson did not seem as interesting as 
 usual. Hsia-lan-mei could not read in her turn, 
 and she sobbed hysterically if addressed. At the 
 end of the hour. Miss Lander followed the girls 
 into the upper schoolroom, where the three senior 
 classes were assembled for a united lesson. 
 
 She went to the teacher's desk, and every eye 
 was fixed on her serious face. 
 
 " A sad thing has happened," she said ; " Hsia- 
 lan-mei's geography book has been disfigured and 
 torn. None of the class know anything about it. 
 Now I must ask the pupils of the next two classes. 
 Remember that truth is more important than ' face.' 
 If you have accidentally marked a book, you have 
 been careless and will ' lose face,' but if you seek 
 to conceal your deed by lying, you sin against 
 God. Speak the truth without fear. Who has 
 marked the book ? " 
 
 There was a terrible silence. The girls looked 
 at one another, and at Hsia-lan-mei, flushed and 
 angry, holding the torn book. 
 
The Spoiled Book 129 
 
 " I fear that some one in the room is guilty," said 
 Miss Lander, " Speak quickly, or I must question 
 you in turn." 
 
 Still no one spoke ; and then Miss Lander called 
 each one by name, and asked the question, but all 
 answered in the negative. 
 
 " I will wait until the end of the day," said 
 Miss Lander. " If nothing has been discovered 
 then, I must place the upper school under punish- 
 ment; but I trust the wrong-doer will be found 
 before that. This afternoon, Teacher Chang, 
 please see that lessons are prepared in perfect 
 silence, and do not permit any speaking at all. 
 I am much displeased and saddened by what has 
 occurred." 
 
 When the girls met in the playground at the 
 midday recess, one subject occupied their thoughts 
 and conversation. Who could be the culprit ? Hsia- 
 lan-mei went off to her bedroom, and hid herself 
 under her quilt, a fit of temper being equivalent 
 to a fit of illness among Chinese women and girls. 
 Her particular friends sat on the edge of her bed, 
 sympathising, and wondering at the mysterious 
 occurrence. 
 
 The little girls from the lower school were soon 
 made aware of what had happened. Rose and 
 Pomegranate came out hand in hand ; and a young 
 9 
 
130 Pomegranate 
 
 pupil who had only lately been promoted to the 
 upper school called out, " Hullo, Pomegranate ! have 
 you heard about Hsia-lan-mei's book ? " 
 
 Pomegranate did not answer, she grew very red ; 
 but Rose said quickly, " No, what's the matter ? 
 Tell us, do ! " 
 
 So the whole story came out. But Pomegranate 
 did not stay to listen. She felt very uncomfortable 
 and rather frightened. As she walked away, she 
 glanced at the crack in the wall to see if the torn 
 map were still there. Kai-hsin-mei was standing 
 by, and noticed the glance ; she had seen Pome- 
 granate's discomfiture, and a sudden idea shot 
 through her mind. As soon as the child had gone, 
 she went up to the wall and noticed a corner of 
 paper sticking out. She pulled it carefully, and 
 presently drew forth the missing part of the map. 
 She did not stay to examine it, but pushed it up 
 her sleeve lest any one should notice it, and walked 
 slowly on, wondering what she ought to do. She 
 hated to make trouble, but right must be done. 
 She knew that Hsia-lan-mei and Pomegranate were 
 not friendly. She determined to try to get the 
 little girl to confess. 
 
 Pomegranate was seated on the doorstep of Mrs. 
 Hou's room, sewing most industriously. All the 
 girls were scattered about the playground, talking 
 
The Spoiled Book 131 
 
 in groups, and Mrs. Hou had gone out to inquire 
 the cause of the excitement. Kai-hsin-mei sat 
 down beside Pomegranate, and said at once : " Pome- 
 granate, what do you know about Hsia-Ian-mei's 
 book ? " 
 
CHAPTER XVI 
 
 A Miserable Day 
 
 POMEGRANATE looked up, startled, and said 
 incoherently, " What do you mean ? What 
 have you seen ? Why do you ask me ? I 
 don't know anything ! I'm not in your school- 
 room ! " 
 
 " But what were you doing when I called you to 
 dinner yesterday ? " asked Kai-hsin-mei. 
 
 " I told you ; I was preparing my lesson for Miss 
 Cullingworth," said the child. 
 
 " But you had not prepared it ; I helped you 
 after dinner. Oh, Pomegranate, do tell me," cried 
 Kai-hsin-mei in distress. 
 
 " I haven't anything to tell you," muttered the 
 child. 
 
 " Well, why don't you like Hsia-lan-mei ? " asked 
 Kai-hsin-mei, trying another plan. 
 
 " She hates me,^' burst out Pomegranate ; " she 
 mocked me when Miss Cullingworth punished me." 
 
A Miserable Day 133 
 
 " What do you mean ? " said Kai-hsin-mei gravely. 
 
 " She asked me why I was not out-of-doors like 
 the pomegranates on the tree," said the child, crying. 
 " She made faces at me when Teacher Lao made me 
 sweep the room, too." 
 
 Kai-hsin-mei was ashamed that her classmate, 
 one of the senior girls, should behave so rudely and 
 unkindly ; she knew how the insult would rankle in 
 Pomegranate's mind. She next asked : — 
 
 " Why is it that you and Hsia-lan-mei are not 
 friends ? " 
 
 " It is because of Rose. She likes me best, and 
 Hsia-lan-mei wants her all the time, and so she 
 hates me ! " said Pomegranate. 
 
 " But it was very wrong of you to spoil the 
 geography book. It is the property of the school, 
 so you have injured Miss Lander only, and not 
 Hsia-lan-mei," said Kai-hsin-mei. 
 
 " How can you say I did it ? No one knows how 
 it was done. Why do you bother me about it ? " 
 said Pomegranate breathlessly. 
 
 " Oh, Pomegranate, do tell Miss Lander, and say 
 you are sorry," pleaded her friend. " I know you 
 did it, but I will not tell tales, and I'm sure Miss 
 Lander will forgive you if you go at once. I'll 
 come with you." 
 
 " No, I won't go ! Why should I go ? Hsia- 
 
134 Pomegranate 
 
 lan-mei has spoiled the book. Let her be punished 
 for it," said Pomegranate angrily. 
 
 " But I know. Pomegranate," said Kai-hsin-mei 
 sadly. " See, I will show you what I found," and she 
 spread out the torn map on her knee. 
 
 With an angry cry Pomegranate snatched it up, 
 crumpled it into a ball, and thrust it into the flue 
 which heated Mrs. Hou's room. 
 
 " If you tell, I'll jump down the well," she cried, 
 " then my death will lie at your door " ; and she went 
 off in a terrible rage to hide behind bushes in the 
 playground till the school-bell rang. 
 
 Kai-hsin-mei had heard such threats before. She 
 knew that Chinese girls in anger, or to avoid dis- 
 grace, often tried to kill themselves; but in a Christian 
 school such things were unknown. She was in a 
 sad dilemma, really fearing that Pomegranate might 
 do something rash if trouble came on her, yet 
 knowing that she must not allow suspicion to fall 
 on an innocent person. During that terrible, long, 
 silent afternoon she sat with her eyes fixed on her 
 lesson-book, but never turned a page. She saw 
 Pomegranate's guilty face, the torn map, the black 
 ink-marks across the book, and her thoughts ranged 
 hurriedly from one plan to another : how should 
 she best shield Pomegranate, who was morally 
 in her charge; how should she prevent others 
 
A Miserable Day 135 
 
 being punished; what was the right course to 
 pursue ? 
 
 When at last the hours had passed, the tension 
 grew greater, for the lower school filed in and stood in 
 rows, while Miss Lander took her place at the desk, 
 and looked at the faces all turned towards her, some 
 curious, some angry, some indifferent and impassive. 
 
 " Once more, I ask you all, assembled here, seniors 
 and juniors together,, has anything been discovered 
 about the disfigurement of Hsia-lan-mei's book ? " 
 she said very gravely. 
 
 To the surprise of all, Kai-hsin-mei rose to her 
 feet ; she had suddenly determined what to do. 
 Her eyes were fixed on her desk ; she looked utterly 
 wretched. Some even thought her guilty. Pome- 
 granate gazed at her stonily ; she felt as if she were 
 already condemned; doubtless Kai-hsin-mei would 
 denounce her. Hsia-lan-mei and her friends, who 
 had never dreamed of accusing Kai-hsin-mei, could 
 not understand it at all, and waited in amazement. 
 
 " What have you to say, Kai-hsin-mei ? " asked 
 Miss Lander kindly. She knew the girl too well to 
 suspect her of the mischief. 
 
 Kai-hsin-mei looked up in distress, but said nothing. 
 
 " You know something, and for the sake of others 
 must tell what you know. Come forward." 
 
 Kai-hsin-mei left her seat, and stumbled to the 
 
136 Pomegranate 
 
 front. It was harder than she had thought a 
 moment before. Her face was scarlet. 
 
 " Punish me," she murmured. 
 
 Miss Lander looked at her in astonishment. 
 Pomegranate could hardly believe her ears. 
 
 " Yes, punish me," said Kai-hsin-mei more firmly, 
 and then suddenly grew white and fell forward 
 fainting. Teacher Chang fortunately caught her, 
 and laid her gently on the ground. 
 
 " She is dead ! " cried some excitable girl. 
 
 " It is a judgment ! " screamed another. 
 
 But Pomegranate sprang forward, the tears pour- 
 ing down her face. 
 
 "It is I who have killed her ! I did it ! " she 
 cried. " I spoiled Hsia-lan-mei's book, and now I 
 have killed Kai-hsin-mei ! " 
 
 At a sign from Miss Lander, Miss Cullingworth 
 came forward and led Pomegranate away. Miss 
 Lander rapped the desk, and said loudly, " Silence, 
 girls ; Kai-hsin-mei is not dead, but she has suffered 
 much in mind through trying to save another. Now, 
 go quietly into the playground, and leave this room 
 empty. Make no noise to disturb her, and try to 
 think kindly of the one who is in disgrace and 
 suffering now for her fault." 
 
 Dr. Martin came in with cold water and restora- 
 tives, and Kai-hsin-mei soon recovered consciousness. 
 
A Miserable Day 137 
 
 Miss Lander would not allow her to talk, but left 
 her in a quiet room, telling her to rest, and set her 
 mind at ease about Pomegranate, who had confessed 
 everything. Asking Teacher Chen to see that no 
 one disturbed or excited her, Miss Lander went 
 back to her own room. 
 
 Pomegranate was lying on the floor in a passion 
 of tears ; Miss Cullingworth could do nothing with 
 her. The two ladies waited for a little while till her 
 grief had worn itself out. 
 
 " We learn by our mistakes," said Miss Lander in 
 English. " I see now that I ought not to have 
 imposed the strain of silence for the whole afternoon. 
 Poor Kai-hsin-mei must have suffered terribly, I 
 wonder how she found out, and why it all happened. 
 Will you fetch me a little cold water, please? 
 This child has cried long enough." 
 
 When the cold water came, a wet handkerchief 
 was suddenly applied to Pomegranate's forehead ; 
 and this unexpected treatment had the effect of 
 arousing her, and making her sit up. 
 
 Placing her on a stool, for she could not stand, 
 Miss Lander said : — 
 
 " Now you must tell us how this came about. 
 Kai-hsin-mei is better ; she will not die, but she has 
 suffered much for you. When did you mark the 
 geography book ? " 
 
1 38 Pomegranate 
 
 " During the dinner-hour, yesterday," said Pome- 
 granate, struggling with her sobs. 
 
 " What made you do it ? " 
 
 " Hsia-lan-mei called me names, and made faces 
 at me, and I wanted to make her angry and disgrace 
 her," said the child. 
 
 " How did Kai-hsin-mei know you had done it ? " 
 
 " She found the map in a chink of the wall, and 
 came and asked if I had done it." 
 
 " Where is the map now ? " asked Miss Lander, 
 
 " In Mrs, Hou's k'ang-hole," said Pomegranate, 
 miserably ; and then added, " I said I would drown 
 myself if she told. She wanted me to come to you, 
 but I wouldn't. I thought she was dead when she 
 fell " and the tears burst out again. 
 
 Miss Lander tried to soothe her, with assurances 
 that Kai-hsin-mei would be quite well to-morrow, 
 and then asked, " Why are you not friendly with 
 Hsia-lan-mei ? " 
 
 Pomegranate did not like to say, and Miss Lander 
 thought it well not to press the question, but she 
 was puzzled how best to settle the matter of punish- 
 ment, 
 
 " Your revengeful spirit has grieved me very much, 
 and caused trouble to all your schoolmates. Classes 
 have been interrupted, time wasted, and a great deal 
 of worry has been the result of your naughtiness, 
 
A Miserable Day 139 
 
 Pomegranate. What do you think should be your 
 punishment ? " she said, 
 
 " I deserve to be sent home," said the poor child. 
 
 " We do not want to send you away, but to keep 
 you and help you to do better," said Miss Lander. 
 " You must pay for the book you have spoiled, and 
 tell Hsia-lan-mei you are sorry. Then in future we 
 must have no more quarrels between you." 
 
 " Rose will never be my friend again," said 
 Pomegranate despondently. 
 
 "What has Rose to do with it?" asked Miss 
 Lander, a light suddenly dawning on the subject in 
 her mind. 
 
 " Hsia-lan-mei does not like Rose to be with me ; 
 she wants to be her friend," said Pomegranate. 
 
 " I am afraid Rose's friendship got you into trouble 
 yesterday ; was it not because you were with her that 
 you forgot to sweep the schoolroom ? " 
 
 " Yes," said Pomegranate, hanging her head. 
 
 " Has your friendship with Kai-hsin-mei ever 
 brought you any harm ? " 
 
 " No," whispered Pomegranate. 
 
 " Now, Pomegranate, you see the difference ; Rose 
 is a good-natured girl, but she has never been trained 
 to obedience and orderliness ; she does not care for 
 work, and she does not serve Jesus as her Master. 
 Kai-hsin-mei will help you to do right always, and 
 
14° Pomegranate 
 
 I should like you to be with her more often. Do 
 not be led away by Rose's pretty clothes and nice 
 manners. I shall be glad if she teaches you to 
 behave well, but if her being here causes jealousy 
 it will be very sad. In school, all are pupils together, 
 and we do not take notice of rank." 
 
 Later on. Miss Lander sent for Hsia-lan-mei, who 
 was very uneasy, feeling that she herself was not 
 without fault. Miss Lander spoke to her very 
 seriously about her conduct, and pointed out how 
 much she had deteriorated since Rose had come. 
 She told her that as a senior scholar it was her 
 duty to set an example to the younger ones, and 
 not cause strife among them. Then she asked 
 whether Hsia-lan-mei would tell her why Pome- 
 granate was so angry with her. 
 
 With shame the girl confessed her rude speeches 
 and grimaces. 
 
 " You are now nearly seventeen," said Miss Lander, 
 " and still give way to childish temper and rudeness. 
 Do not makeyour friends among the younger children, 
 but among the older girls who are your equals in age. 
 Be very careful not to annoy Pomegranate by recalling 
 this unhappy incident, but try to help her to be a 
 good girl, instead of hindering her." 
 
 Next morning Pomegranate, supported by Kai- 
 hsin-mei, made her apology to her teachers and to 
 
A Miserable Day 141 
 
 Hsia-lan-mei. Miss Lander said that in consequence 
 of her confession and the suffering already involved, 
 no further punishment would be given, except a fine 
 of five hundred cash, to make good' the damage to 
 the school-book. 
 
 Immediately the ordeal was over, and Pomegranate 
 was drying her tears, Hsia-lan-mei came forward 
 and said, " I have two hundred cAsh, Pomegranate, 
 I'll give them to you to help pay the fine, and I'm 
 sorry I annoyed you." 
 
 Pomegranate was surprised and grateful, for she 
 was wondering how she could n possibly pay the 
 money. Rose pressed her to accept the whole 
 sum ; it was a small matter to the wealthy girl, 
 but Pomegranate, upheld by Kai-hsin-mei, would 
 only take it as a loan, and managed to repay it all 
 before the end of term, by denying herself a longed- 
 for ornament, which her kind old grandfather sent 
 her money to buy. Hsia-lan-mei did try to do 
 better. Rose found herself less petted and courted 
 than before, and in consequence became a better 
 pupil. 
 
CHAPTER XVII 
 
 Light after Darkness 
 
 EVER since Dr. Martin and her sister Agnes 
 started their first school, years ago, in Tung- 
 An, the Christian scholars had formed a 
 society of their own, meeting on Saturday evening 
 for prayer and study of the Scriptures. 
 
 This society had been very helpful in bringing 
 forward shy girls who feared to speak before others, 
 and formed a training-school for the Bible-women 
 and teachers of the future. 
 
 The missionaries only visited the meetings 
 occasionally as invited guests ; the whole conduct 
 of the society was in the hands of the senior girls. 
 Now, after many years, it was still flourishing; and 
 girls who had long left school kept up their connec- 
 tion with the society by attending its annual meeting, 
 which was held in October. 
 
 Pearl was coming from Chen-chia-kou, Mr. Liu 
 having promised to escort her on his donkey ; 
 
Light after Darkness 143 
 
 Ngen-hwa, now the wife of a Christian youth living 
 at Fang-Tswen, wrote to say that her father-in-law 
 was willing that she should come, and had arranged 
 to bring her himself in an ox-cart, with his own 
 daughter Ngai-tsi, wife of Cheng-tien-yu. Letters 
 were received from other old pupils in answer to the 
 notice which had been sent out ; and all the available 
 guest-rooms were prepared to receive the visitors for 
 the brief stay. Mrs. Davis could take in several, 
 the hospital assistants were willing to share their 
 rooms with old school- friends, and a small dormitory 
 in school was cleared to accommodate the remainder 
 of the expected guests. 
 
 Saturday was the day fixed for the meeting ; on 
 Sunday there would be special services in the 
 chapel ; Monday was the half-term holiday for the 
 schoolgirls, and the departure of the visitors would 
 be taking place at intervals all day long. The 
 committee of elder girls, with the two teachers, 
 Chang and Chen, had a busy time arranging details 
 of the meetings. Reports of the different sub- 
 committees must be read, accounts of the funds 
 submitted; there was to be a presidential address 
 from Teacher Chang, special hymns by the juniors, 
 and speeches on various subjects by half a dozen 
 girls. 
 
 Festoons of autumn leaves and bamboos decorated 
 
144 Pomegranate 
 
 the pillars ; vases of sweet - scented mignonette, 
 dianthus, and asters adorned the platform ; and the 
 schoolroom was quite transformed. When the 
 guests arrived they were greeted vociferously by 
 their friends and acquaintances, and from the 
 missionaries they received a hearty welcome. Late 
 into the night the sound of talking was heard, the 
 usual rules being relaxed for this special occasion. 
 
 The Sabbath day dawned bright and clear. 
 Dressed in their best clothes, the scholars and 
 visitors marched across to the chapel and took their 
 seats on the women's side, which was separated from 
 the men's by a curtain. 
 
 The possibility of united worship, and the sound 
 of a new voice, were very enjoyable to those who 
 came from out-lying districts and seldom received 
 much teaching. Dr. Everett gave a special address 
 on " The Women Friends of Jesus," and showed 
 how all could bring consolation to the heart of 
 Christ, and could work with Him for the coming 
 of the Kingdom. 
 
 In the afternoon Mr. Davis preached on " Prayer," 
 and urged those who were unable to get help from 
 missionaries or other Christians to seek more earnestly 
 the help and teaching of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 In the evening Mrs. Davis came over for a final 
 meeting in the school, and gave a short address. 
 
Light after Darkness 145 
 
 Mrs. Davis spoke especially to the younger girls on the 
 necessity of true repentance and a change of heart. 
 
 " It is easy to think that being among Christians, 
 and doing as they do in attending worship, is 
 sufficient," she said. " But every one of us must 
 stand alone in the sight of God, and the virtues of 
 our companions will not hide our own faults. Do 
 not fall into the error which is so common among 
 the women all round, and try to lay up merit. It 
 is nothing but our duty to do right always ; and 
 when we fail, and do wrong, no amount of right- 
 doing afterwards can cover our fault. There is 
 nothing but the Blood of Jesus to wash us white 
 and clean. His merit is sufficient for all our needs. 
 Covered by the robe of Righteousness, which He has 
 provided, we can stand before God without fear of 
 His wrath." 
 
 Subjects for prayer were next suggested, and 
 some of the pupils told of their special difficulties, 
 and asked their fellow-Christians to help them by 
 intercession. One prayed that the relatives of her 
 husband might be led to Christ ; Ngai-tsi asked for 
 blessing on the evangelists who were travelling in the 
 far north ; Ngen-hwa prayed that a heathen village 
 near might open its gates to Christian teaching ; and 
 Pearl pleaded for blessing in Chen-chia-kou, mention- 
 ing by name the Christians and inquirers. Finally, 
 10 
 
146 Pomegranate 
 
 Teacher Chang rose, and asked for forgiveness for 
 failing in her duty towards the girls under her 
 charge, and pleaded for the conversion of those who 
 as yet had not accepted Christ as their Saviour. 
 It was a very solemn time, and some who were 
 present never forgot it. 
 
 Little Pomegranate, kneeling in her place between 
 Rose and Red-apple, gave her whole attention to 
 the service, Mrs. Davis' address had touched her 
 heart, and Teacher Chang's prayer seemed to be 
 especially for herself. She did not respond to 
 Rose's whispers and nudges, and presently they 
 ceased. Miss Lander's closing prayer commended 
 them all to the Heavenly Father's keeping, for the 
 night, for the journey of those about to leave, and 
 for the closing months of the year. 
 
 When the meeting ended, Pomegrante left the 
 room at once, and hid in a dark corner of the play- 
 ground. She wanted to be alone, for she did not 
 understand the strange feelings that possessed her. 
 Never before had she felt the Presence of God ; never 
 had she realised that a Person, unseen yet very near, 
 could see and hear all her actions and words. She 
 had glibly answered the questions put to her in 
 class ; but the words she said had not come from her 
 heart, merely from her mind. Now she felt the 
 importance of standing right with God. All her 
 
Light after Darkness 147 
 
 past faults came up clearly before her. Angry 
 words, quarrels with the children at Chen-chia-kou, 
 disobedience to her grandmother, laziness, cheating 
 at lessons, and, finally, the revengeful spoiling of the 
 geography book, looked black and hopeless crimes ; 
 and she began to sob in fear of future punishment, 
 for she knew she had not truly repented. 
 
 Pearl and Kai-hsin-mei were pacing up and down 
 the courtyard in the moonlight, talking about the 
 meetings, and about the people at Chen-chia-kou. 
 Presently they passed the dark corner where 
 Pomegranate was crouching, too much absorbed in 
 her grief to notice their approach, 
 
 " Has Mrs. Su heard any news of her son ? " 
 asked Kai-hsin-mei. 
 
 " No, not yet ; but we are all praying that he may 
 return," answered Pearl. " Her daughter-in-law is 
 really trying to learn the doctrine, and opium is no 
 longer used in the home." 
 
 " How is old Mrs. Fan ? Is she keeping well ? " 
 
 "She is getting feeble, and her sight is very 
 weak," replied Pearl, " but she also comes often to 
 the women's class and listens well." 
 
 " What is that sound ? " said Kai-hsin-mei. " It 
 seems that there is some one in that corner." 
 
 " Some one in trouble, too," said Pearl ; " I hear her 
 sobbing." 
 
148 Pomegranate 
 
 " Why, Pomegranate, what is the matter ? " said 
 Kai-hsin-mei, leading her out into the moonlight. 
 
 " Oh, Teacher Wang, I am so unhappy," cried 
 Pomegranate, throwing herself on the ground, 
 
 " Why are you unhappy ? " said Pearl, raising her 
 up. " Tell us, and let us try to help you." 
 
 " I am afraid, I am afraid ! I shall be punished 
 for my sins ! I shall never see Jesus in heaven," 
 cried the child. 
 
 " Come into the shed ; we will sit on the straw 
 and talk," said Kai-hsin-mei ; so they led Pome- 
 granate into an out-house where they could be 
 alone. 
 
 " Mrs. Davis said I should have to stand alone 
 before God ! I can't go alone, I am afraid ! " wailed 
 the child. 
 
 " But Mrs. Davis said something else as well," 
 Pearl reminded her ; " she told us that Jesus would 
 give us His robe to cover us and hide all our sins. 
 We need not fear if He is with us." 
 
 " I don't know enough about Jesus ; I'm afraid He 
 won't help me ; I have been naughty for a long 
 time," said Pomegranate. 
 
 " You know how Jesus took the children in His 
 arms, and blessed them," said Pearl. " He is just 
 as loving now. Though we cannot see Him, He is 
 near, and is longing for you to love and trust Him, 
 
Light after Darkness 149 
 
 He will wash away all your sins if you ask Him 
 now," 
 
 " I know God is here ; I felt it. But He is angry 
 with me, and I'm sure He will punish me," cried 
 Pomegranate. 
 
 " God Himself loves us. It was He who pitied 
 us and did not want us all to be punished and lost, 
 so He sent Jesus into the world to be our Saviour,'' 
 said Pearl. " Jesus came from God, because the 
 heart of the Heavenly Father wanted all the sinful 
 children of the world to learn to know and love 
 Him." 
 
 " Is God sorry for me now ? " asked the child. 
 
 " Yes, God is sorry that you have done wrong, but 
 He is glad to see you coming to Him," said Pearl, 
 
 " But you don't know everything," burst out 
 
 Pomegranate again ; " the book , Kai-hsin-mei, 
 
 tell her about the book." 
 
 So in a few words the story of Pomegranate's 
 spiteful action was told. Pearl looked very sad, but 
 before she could speak Pomegranate said, " But you 
 did not tell all, Kai-hsin-mei, When Teacher Lao 
 came and asked if any one knew about the book, 
 Kai-hsin-mei did not tell, but stood up and asked to 
 be punished instead of me. No one but herself 
 knew I had spoiled the book," 
 
 Pearl looked at Kai-hsin-mei with shining eyes. 
 
ISO Pomegranate 
 
 " Why, that is like Jesus Chript Himself," she 
 said ; " after that, did Miss Lander whip you ? " 
 
 " No, she was very kind to me ; I love her," said 
 Pomegranate. 
 
 " Shall you do it again ? " asked Pearl. 
 
 " No, of course not. I don't want to vex her." 
 
 " Then don't you see ? God is very grieved 
 when we do wrong, but because Jesus has borne our 
 punishment. He will forgive us if we ask Him and 
 are truly sorry." 
 
 " Is it really like that ? " asked Pomegranate 
 eagerly. " Will He be as kind as Miss Lander ? " 
 
 " God is much kinder than Miss Lander, though 
 she is very good. The love that is in the hearts of 
 the missionaries towards us is part of the love of 
 God, and was given by Him," answered Pearl. 
 
 " But shall I not be punished at all then ? Miss 
 Lander did not whip me, but I had to pay for the 
 book," said Pomegranate. 
 
 " There is one kind of punishment we all have to 
 bear," said Pearl. " Every time we lose our temper, 
 it is harder to be good next time. When we are 
 lazy, it makes it harder to work. If we lie or steal, 
 even though we repent, people around us do not 
 trust us so well afterwards." 
 
 "Yes, I know," said Pomegranate, sorrowfully. 
 " Mrs. Hou scolds me, and Rose does not care to 
 
Light after Darkness 151 
 
 play with me, and some of the girls laugh at me, 
 because I tore the book." 
 
 " You must bear it patiently, because you were 
 naughty, you know. Pomegranate," said Pearl ; " and 
 Kai-hsin-mei is your friend, isn't she ? " 
 
 " Of course I am," said Kai-hsin-mei, heartily. 
 " Now, Pomegranate, will you decide to-night to 
 trust Jesus, and ask for His robe of Righteousness to 
 cover you ? " 
 
 " Yes, I think so," said the little girl. " But I wish 
 I could see Him ; then I should feel sure." 
 
 " Ah, we often wish we could see Him," said Pearl, 
 " but He is really here. Now kneel down and shut 
 your eyes, and remember He is very near and can 
 hear all you say." 
 
 In a very simple, earnest prayer she commended 
 the little girl to the keeping of the tender Saviour, 
 speaking of her faults and of her repentance, and 
 asking for forgiveness. 
 
 " Please, Heavenly Father, forgive my sins, for 
 Jesus Christ's sake," added Pomegranate, when 
 Pearl had ceased ; and she went away with Kai-hsin- 
 mei to sleep peacefully, in the knowledge that she 
 was safe in the arms of Jesus. 
 
 But, as Pearl had said, sin brings its own punish- 
 ment ; and Pomegranate's former faults caused her 
 humiliation and suffering as yet unsuspected. 
 
CHAPTER XVIII 
 A Chinese Meal 
 
 VERY early next morning Ngai-tsi, Ngen-hwa, 
 and some others who lived far away, started 
 homeward with hearty farewells and good 
 wishes from the girls and their teachers. After 
 prayers, one of the elder girls came to Miss Lander 
 and said : — 
 
 " Please, Teacher Lao, will you and the other 
 ladies come to dinner with us at noon to-day ? We 
 are asking all the guests, also, who need not start 
 till afternoon." 
 
 " Thank you, Mary," said Miss Lander, " but we 
 do not want you to spend your money on a feast 
 for us." 
 
 " That is nothing," said Mary. " We have all 
 contributed a little, and the things are bought. We 
 hope you will come." 
 
 " We will come, then. It is kind of you to 
 prepare a dinner for us." 
 
A Chinese Meal 153 
 
 " As it is a holiday to-day, we can all help," said 
 Mary ; " but I have another request to make. May 
 we call the old cook's daughter-in-law to help us, 
 as she is very skilful in flavouring dishes ? " 
 
 " Yes, you may," said Miss Lander ; and she left the 
 school, to extend the invitations to the other ladies. 
 
 Old Mrs. Yuan, the cook, soon dispatched the 
 coolie to fetch her daughter-in-law, who came 
 leading a little girl of ten years old, whom she 
 could not leave at home alone. The child was 
 dirty and unkempt, but she was a little chatterbox, 
 and could give news from the street and from the 
 neighbouring families to the girls who were carefully 
 sheltered within the walls of the school. 
 
 Most of the elder girls were busy preparing for 
 the feast. Mrs. Hou was an ignorant woman who 
 saw no harm in allowing the children to listen to 
 gossip, so the smaller pupils gathered round the 
 new-comer, and she and Rose entertained them with 
 talk which was not very good for them to hear. 
 
 Teacher Chen passed by, and heard loud laughter 
 from Mrs. Hou's room. Pomegranate was standing 
 in the doorway, so Teacher Chen called her and 
 asked what they were laughing at. Pomegranate 
 innocently repeated the coarse joke which caused 
 the amusement, and was much surprised when 
 Teacher Chen said, "How can you listen to 
 
154 Pomegranate 
 
 such wickedness? You ought to know better, 
 Pomegranate ! Such words are unfit for a Christian 
 school ! " 
 
 Pomegranate did not understand the evil hidden 
 under the foolish words, and felt hurt and angry. 
 
 " Yes, your face may well grow red with shame," 
 said her teacher. " It is disgraceful ! " 
 
 Going into the room, she quickly dispersed the 
 group of pupils, and told them to go and play in the 
 courtyard. Then she told Mrs. Hou that the cook's 
 grandchild must stay with her, and not be allowed 
 to talk to the other girls, saying that she would 
 report her to Miss Lander if it happened again. 
 
 Just then Miss Cullingworth came in to invite all 
 who were not busy in the kitchen to play in the 
 missionaries' own garden. This was a special treat, 
 and the little girls ran off, and forgot the stranger's 
 stories in the excitement of exploring the bamboo 
 grove, and wandering among the flower-beds. Only 
 chrysanthemums and some late mignonette were in 
 bloom, but the girls could run races along the 
 smooth gravel-paths, and play ball in the open 
 spaces. 
 
 Pomegranate remained in her bedroom for a time, 
 struggling to overcome her vexation at Teacher 
 Chen's words, which she felt she had not deserved. 
 Afterwards Kai-hsin-mei found her, and set her to 
 
A Chinese Meal 155 
 
 work carrying chairs, and helping to arrange the 
 room for the feast. 
 
 Presently all was ready ; the little girls trooped 
 in from the garden with glowing faces, and stood in 
 the yard to watch the guests come in. They them- 
 selves would have their meal later, and taste the 
 dainties left over from the feast. Pomegranate was 
 entrusted wrtth Mrs. Wang's baby, and was very 
 proud of her charge, who had not forgotten her 
 entirely. She showed off the baby's pretty ways, 
 and helped him to walk, and lent him to her 
 particular friends for a few minutes as a mark of 
 special favour. 
 
 The missionaries had come in their best gowns to 
 do honour to the girls. Six or eight of the visitors 
 were still present, and the two teachers and four of 
 the elder girls sat down with them at a long table; 
 
 " We are all one family," said Teacher Chang. 
 " We need not divide into formal groups." 
 
 Steaming hot bowls of food were placed on the 
 table, and trays of bread were handed round. 
 Dumplings of mutton and garlic were offered to 
 each guest, and cups of Chinese tea placed beside 
 each. A savoury smell pervaded the room, from 
 the fried pork, scrambled eggs, shrimps and cabbage, 
 mushrooms and mutton, beef-balls, arrow-root chips, 
 bean-sprouts, and seaweed which graced the table. 
 
is6 Pomegranate 
 
 " Will you give thanks for the food, please ? " 
 said Teacher Chang to Mrs. Davis, and they all 
 rose and stood with bowed heads while Mrs. Davis 
 did so. 
 
 Then they sat down again, and Teacher Chang 
 lifted her chop-sticks in invitation and said, " Please 
 begin to eat." Each guest took one mouthful from 
 the bowl nearest her, and then laid down her chop- 
 sticks until the signal was again given. After some 
 little time had been spent in this ceremonious way. 
 Teacher Chang said, " Let us eat as we please, and 
 lay aside formality " ; and then every one began to 
 pick out tit-bits, and offer them to friends, some- 
 times placing them between their lips. The heaps 
 of little steamed loaves soon diminished, cups were 
 replenished from brass tea-kettles, and full justice 
 was done to the savoury fare. 
 
 When the meal was ended. Pearl and some others 
 were anxious to start at once, as they had some 
 miles to travel before night. Mr. Liu sent in an 
 urgent message by the gatekeeper to ask Pearl to 
 be quick, as he wanted to get away, so there was no 
 time for lingering. The baby was placed on the 
 saddle in front of his mother, and tied to her with a 
 big shawl. With many good wishes and farewells 
 the little party moved away. 
 
CHAPTER XIX 
 
 The Wanderer's Return 
 
 LET us follow Pearl on her way back to Chen- 
 ^ chia-kou, as she rode the little donkey, 
 closely holding her baby Tsung-Shan. Mr. 
 Liu walked in front, leading the animal by a 
 halter ; he went quickly, as noon was long past and 
 they were anxious to reach home before night. 
 Hoping to shorten the journey, he followed a little 
 path which seemed to lead them more directly than 
 the high road; but they came to a stream which 
 interrupted their course. 
 
 " There is no crossing here," said a man, " you 
 will only get into deep mud if you attempt to get 
 over the stream. Your only plan is to return to 
 the high road." 
 
 " Alas, we hoped to shorten our journey, and so 
 came by the small path," said Mr. Liu. " The sun 
 is setting ; we have lost much time." 
 
 " There is an inn near the ferry ; you had 
 
 157 
 
iS8 Pomegranate 
 
 better pass the night there," said the man, turning 
 away. 
 
 After two hours wandering and delay they 
 reached the inn ; it was noisy, dark, and dirty, but 
 afforded them shelter for the night, and for that 
 they were thankful. 
 
 A small room hung with cobwebs, and containing 
 no furniture at all, was given to Mrs. Wang. When 
 the innkeeper's^wife heard that a woman with a baby 
 had come, she came out from her dark little kitchen 
 to see the arrivals. Pearl greeted her politely, and 
 the woman was friendly. 
 
 " Bring a straw mat to spread on this k'ang," she 
 shouted to her son ; " heat the k'ang at once, the 
 baby will die of cold." 
 
 She was a rough, sharp-tongued woman, and 
 evidently ruled her family strictly. The boy came 
 running with the mat, and then brought an armful 
 of fuel which he thrust into the fire-hole and 
 kindled a blaze. The little room was filled with 
 stifling smoke ; the baby began to cry and Pearl to 
 cough. Seeing this, the woman invited her to sit in 
 the kitchen till the smoke had cleared a little. 
 
 " How comes it that you are so late on the 
 road ? " asked the woman. 
 
 " We lost our way while trying to take a short 
 cut," answered Pearl, 
 
The Wanderer's Return 159 
 
 " Where have you come from, and whither are 
 you going ? " asked the woman. 
 
 " We come from the city, and are going to Chen- 
 chia-kou," said Pearl. 
 
 " Has your husband been to the city on busi- 
 ness ? " was the next question. 
 
 " That is not my husband ; he is a neighbour, 
 and kindly escorted me to the city to a meeting." 
 
 " To a meeting ! What meeting ? There is no 
 fair just now, is there ? " 
 
 " No, it was not a fair, but a meeting of believers 
 in Jesus at the Mission House," 
 
 " This is a strange story. What is Jesus, and what 
 is a mission house ? " asked the inn-keeper's wife. 
 
 " Foreign ladies live at the Mission House ; they 
 come to our land to tell us of Jesus, the Son of 
 God, the Saviour of the world," said Pearl. 
 
 " Oh, foreigners ! Do you follow the foreigners ? 
 Have you eaten their medicine ? I have heard that 
 they bewitch people." 
 
 "No, they are kind and good; no one who 
 knows them can speak evil of them," said Pearl. 
 " They teach girls and women to forsake evil and 
 follow virtue." 
 
 Just then the boy thrust in his unkempt head and 
 told Pearl that the room was ready and supper 
 waiting. Thankfully she laid her sleeping child on 
 
i6o Pomegranate 
 
 the warm k'ang, wrapped in her quilt, and then took 
 her supper, hoping the inn-keeper's wife would come 
 back for a talk later on. 
 
 She did not come, however, and when the lad 
 came in to take away the bowl and chop-sticks, 
 Pearl asked him for a board or something else to 
 prop against the door to fasten it, as it had no latch 
 or bolt. He brought her a broken bench, with only- 
 one leg, and she fixed it against the door so that it 
 could not be opened from the outside. Then she 
 blew out the light and went to bed, not forgetting to 
 offer thanks to God for bringing them safely out of 
 their difficulties, and commending herself and all 
 her friends to His care for the night. 
 
 Meanwhile Mr. Liu had found a place with several 
 other men in a neighbouring apartment, and they 
 chatted together over their meal. The day's 
 adventures were recounted, and Mr. Liu mentioned 
 his visit to the Mission House. This introduced the 
 topic of the foreigners and their ways, and gave 
 Mr. Liu an opportunity to preach the Gospel for a 
 few minutes to his companions. 
 
 " I have heard in a letter of the foreign doctrine, and 
 have wanted to know more of it," said one of the men. 
 He was respectably dressed, and had told the others 
 that he was travelling on business for his master. 
 
 " The doctrine was first brought to my notice at 
 
The Wanderer's Return i6i 
 
 the great winter fair," said Mr. Liu, " A Chinese 
 teacher was expounding the Way of Life, and his 
 words were interesting and attractive. I sat and 
 listened to him. Later on, he visited our village 
 of Chen-chia-kou, and gave us more instruction. 
 Little by little we learned more of the True God, 
 and now there are several of us who desire to 
 follow Jesus ; we are assured that our sins are 
 forgiven through faith in His merits." 
 
 " Do you indeed believe that sins can be forgiven ? 
 What proof have you that the Jesus you speak of 
 has such great power ? " asked the man who had 
 spoken before. 
 
 " Trust in Him has helped people to conquer 
 their sins, and we see and know that it is a fact," 
 answered Mr. Liu. " For instance, in our village 
 there is an old couple who took opium till their 
 house was bare and their land almost gone. They 
 were cured of the craving by the help of the 
 foreigners, and now rejoice in salvation through 
 Jesus. That is a true story." 
 
 " What family had they ? " asked the stranger. 
 
 " Alas ! their family was a sore trial to them," 
 answered Mr. Liu. " Two sons have left them, 
 sending no word, and one died of disease. There 
 is no one left but a daughter-in-law, and a small 
 grandson not yet four years old." 
 II 
 
1 62 Pomegranate 
 
 A third man joined in the conversation. 
 
 " I don't believe in the doctrine," he said ; " a 
 person can leave off opium if he wants to, by an 
 effort of the will. Let the doctrine do something 
 for the family before I believe." 
 
 " Have you left off opium yet ? " asked his com- 
 panion, laughing. "If anything cured you of the 
 craving, I would believe in it." 
 
 " I could if I wanted to," said the man, blustering. 
 " Let the doctrine bring back the old man's son 
 again, and I shall know there is some truth in it." 
 
 " Every day the old people kneel and pray that 
 their son may be led home again," said Mr. Liu. 
 " Even the little child looks for his father every 
 morning, down the valley." 
 
 " Poor foolish people," scoffed the other man. 
 " It is easy to delude such simpletons." 
 
 " Who knows but that their desires may come 
 true ? " said the respectable traveller, thoughtfully. 
 " Well, friends, the hour is late ; shall we sleep 
 now ? " 
 
 Very early next morning he was up and away, 
 before Mr. Liu was awake, or Pearl had opened her 
 door. The donkey was saddled, the inn-keeper 
 paid, Mrs. Wang and the baby safely mounted, and 
 away they went. They soon reached the ferry and 
 crossed with a boat-load of other passengers. 
 
The Wanderer's Return 163 
 
 Passing the little town of Yao-tien, they reached 
 the entrance to the valley, and were astonished to 
 see the villagers all leaving their caves and pouring 
 in a stream to the upper end of the settlement. 
 
 It was the breakfast hour, and Wang-tien-en and 
 his little daughter were standing at the corner of 
 the school-yard, evidently undecided which way to 
 turn. Seeing his wife and child with Mr. Liu, 
 Wang-tien-en came running down the path. 
 
 " We have been anxious about you, and I thought 
 of starting to seek for you. Why did you not 
 return last night ? " he asked. 
 
 " We lost our way, and had to pass the night in 
 an inn by the river," answered Pearl. " But what is 
 the matter ? Why are all the people going up the 
 valley ? " 
 
 " A great thing has happened. Mr. Su's son has 
 returned," said Wang-tien-en. 
 
 " Marvellous ! " said Mr. Liu. " I must go and 
 see for myself" 
 
 As he drew near Mr. Su's cave, what was his 
 astonishment to see the respectable man who had 
 shared his room at the inn the night before. 
 
 Seeing him, the stranger rose and went forward, 
 
 bowing. 
 
 " Honoured sir, we have met before," he said. 
 " It was your story last night which set my mind at 
 
1 64 Pomegranate 
 
 ease about my parents, and I left before dawn, 
 hastening to kneel before them, knocking my head 
 on the ground to ask their forgiveness. Even as 
 you said, my little son was standing at the door 
 looking for me." 
 
 " The Heavenly Father heard our prayer, and 
 has sent back our son to comfort our old age," said 
 Su-ta-yie. 
 
CHAPTER XX 
 
 The Lost Earrings 
 
 ON the following Saturday morning the girls 
 were, as usual at the end of the week, busy 
 washing their clothes, sewing and mending 
 the garments which needed such care, bathing, and 
 assisting in other ways to get ready for Sunday. 
 The two cooks were bustling about in the kitchen, 
 superintending the preparation of a double quantity 
 of bread. 
 
 Pomegranate sat on a little stool beside the 
 stove, blowing the bellows to make the fire glow 
 and keep the water boiling. Soot and dust 
 smeared her face, smoke made her eyes water. 
 Saturday was a hard day for the kitchen assistants. 
 
 The sound of rushing feet was heard in the yard, 
 and several heads were poked in at the door, and 
 some eyes peeped at the window. 
 
 " Here she is ! here she is ! " said the girls. 
 
 " Pomegranate, come quickly, you're wanted." 
 
 163 
 
1 66 Pomegranate 
 
 " I can't come, I'm busy," said Pomegranate, hot 
 and dirty with her work. 
 
 " Teacher Chen calls you, you must come ! " said 
 another. 
 
 " I'm helping in the kitchen this week, and I 
 can't leave the stove,'' she replied, steadily blowing 
 all the time. 
 
 "You'd better, go. Pomegranate, I'll blow the 
 bellows for you," said Red-apple, slipping in beside 
 her. ' 
 
 " What's the matter ? Who wants me ? " asked 
 Pomegranate, standing up and rubbing her face 
 jvith her sleeve ; dirt and perspiration covered her 
 forehead and cheeks. 
 
 " Teacher Chen wants you in Mrs. Hou's room," 
 they answered, looking at her queerly. 
 
 " Wash your face, and go quickly," said Red-apple. 
 
 " Well, why do they want me ? " said Pome- 
 granate, dipping up a little water in a basin and 
 washing herself vigorously ; but nobody answered. 
 The girls stood watching her, and then followed as 
 she ran across the yard to Mrs. Hou's room. 
 
 Rose was sitting on the k'ang with the contents 
 of her box strewn around her. Her face was red 
 with passion, and she was talking loudly as Pome- 
 granate came in. She stopped, and scowled at her 
 sulkily. Hsia-lan-mei was beside her, turning over 
 
The Lost Earrings 167 
 
 the clothes and trinkets, with a scared look in her 
 face. Teacher Chen sat on a chair by the table, 
 looking very stern. Kai-hsin-mei and some other 
 girls were in the room. 
 
 " Pomegranate, Rose has lost a pair of earrings 
 and a silver hair ornament. Do you know anything 
 about them ? " said Teacher Chen. 
 
 " What, those pretty ones with the blue enamel 
 spots ? " asked Pomegranate. 
 
 " Yes ; do you know where they are ? " 
 
 " No, I haven't seen them since Rose wore them 
 on Sunday," said the child. 
 
 " You have ! You know you have ! You have 
 stolen them ; give them back to me ! " burst out 
 Rose, her eyes flaming with anger ; and then ugly 
 words poured from her lips until Teacher Chen told 
 her sharply to be silent. 
 
 "It was you who always used to help Rose put 
 her box in order, you know," said Teacher Chen ; 
 " and I know you were here on Monday, because I 
 saw you at the door." 
 
 " There were a lot of girls here," said Pomegranate. 
 " I was not alone. I haven't touched anything of 
 Rose's. I'm not a thief." 
 
 " You are full of mischief," said the teacher ; " if 
 anything goes wrong you are generally at the 
 bottom of it." 
 
1 68 Pomegranate 
 
 " I tell you I haven't taken the things," cried 
 Pomegranate ; " can't you believe me ? Then search 
 my bundle and my bed, and see what you can find." 
 
 " You have denied things before now which were 
 afterwards proved," said the teacher grimly j and 
 then Pomegranate felt with a pang that sin brings 
 its own punishment indeed. 
 
 " Kai-hsin-mei, don't you believe me ? " she asked, 
 as she flung herself sobbing at her friend's feet. 
 
 Kai-hsin-mei picked her up, and whispered, " Yes, 
 Pomegranate, I believe you, but you must answer 
 clearly all that is asked you about Monday." 
 
 " We all went out to play in the garden, except 
 Pomegranate," Rose began again. " I know it was 
 then she stole my things." 
 
 " Who saw Pomegranate after that ? " asked the 
 teacher. 
 
 " I saw her," said Hsia-lan-mei unwillingly ; " she 
 was in the bedroom alone, sitting on her bed looking 
 very cross." 
 
 " I went there after you had scolded us, Teacher 
 Chen. I was cross, and I didn't want to play. You 
 know, don't you, Kai-hsin-mei?" said Pomegranate 
 appealingly. 
 
 " Yes, I found Pomegranate there, and she helped 
 me get the room ready for the feast," said the elder 
 girl. 
 
The Lost Earrings 169 
 
 " Well, we must search your things next," said 
 Teacher Chen, rising and going towards the dormitory, 
 followed by all the girls. She stopped at Pome- 
 granate's bed, told two girls to turn over the 
 mattress, and two more to shake the heavy wadded 
 quilt. Nothing was found but Pomegranate's sewing 
 and a few skeins of coloured cotton. Then her 
 bundle was fetched. A new pair of red shoes, 
 brought by Pearl from the old grandmother at home. 
 Pomegranate's Sunday jacket and scarlet trousers, a 
 white under-jacket and pair of socks, her combs and 
 tiny mirror were all turned out and spread on the 
 bed, but no ornaments were to be found. 
 
 " What makes you say that Pomegranate has 
 taken your things ? " asked Teacher Chen of Rose. 
 
 " She wanted some ornaments a long while ago, 
 and said she would write to her grandfather to send 
 her some money," answered Rose sulkily. " He sent 
 her some, but she had to pay for the book she tore 
 in one of her fits of temper, so she couldn't buy 
 anything for herself. If I had known she was going 
 to steal my earrings, I wouldn't have lent her the 
 money to start with. Every one knows she is a 
 deceitful, bad-tempered girl. A fine reputation she 
 has in the school ! " 
 
 " Please, Teacher Chen, don't let Rose speak like 
 that," said Kai-hsin-mei. " Pomegranate has repented, 
 
170 Pomegranate 
 
 and is trying to conquer her faults. I am sure she 
 is not a thief." 
 
 "And why shouldn't I speak?" stormed Rose. 
 " It is my things that are lost, and I know she took 
 them." 
 
 Then she bounced out of the dormitory and went 
 off to Mrs, Hou's room, to go over the story again 
 with her favourite companions. 
 
 " Well, Pomegranate, if you won't confess I shall 
 have to tell Miss Lander," said Teacher Chen. 
 
 " Oh, don't tell Miss Lander ; it will vex her, and 
 really I have not taken the things," said the child. 
 
 " But I must do so. It is a serious thing to have 
 a thief in the school " ; and Teacher Chen went off to 
 see Miss Lander, feeling sure that Pomegranate was 
 the culprit. 
 
 Left alone with Kai-hsin-mei, Pomegranate cried 
 piteously; she felt she had earned a bad reputation 
 for herself, and that no one would believe her. Her 
 friend tried to comfort her with assurances that she 
 would stand by her ; but the lost earrings and silver 
 ornament filled Pomegranate's mind. Each occasion 
 on which she had admired them came back to her 
 memory. She had often turned over the contents of 
 the red box with Rose, and had said enviously how 
 much she wanted similar treasures. Rose had 
 neglected her since she had fallen into disgrace and 
 
The Lost Earrings 171 
 
 had often said unkind things about her; but 
 Pomegranate had not taken it much to heart be- 
 cause Kai-hsin-mei had encouraged her, and advised 
 her to make a friend of Red-apple instead of Rose. 
 
 But now she felt sure that she would be turned 
 out of school, and sent home branded as a thief, 
 and her tears were very bitter. 
 
 Teacher Chang was sent for to Miss Lander's 
 room, and while the girls were at dinner the two 
 teachers and Miss Lander thoroughly searched the 
 dormitory. Nothing was found, and next Mrs. Hou 
 was questioned. 
 
 She at once remembered the cook's little grand- 
 child, who had been left with her on Monday while 
 the little girls were playing in the garden. Miss 
 Lander had not known of the child's coming, and 
 asked to be told all about it. 
 
 " The cook's daughter-in-law came to help with 
 the feast," said Mrs. Hou ; " she could not leave the 
 child at home, so she stayed with me." 
 
 " I told you especially not to leave her alone," 
 said Teacher Chen. 
 
 " Well, it was only for a few minutes ; I had to 
 go and fetch some sewing that Miss Cullingworth 
 wanted me to do," said Mrs. Hou. 
 
 " Where was the child when you came back ? " 
 asked Miss Lander. 
 
172 Pomegranate 
 
 "Just playing in the yard, outside the door," 
 answered Mrs, Hou. 
 
 " Do not say anything about this till I have 
 made inquiries ; do not trouble the cook at present," 
 said Miss Lander. 
 
 She left the school, and called the gatekeeper 
 to her study, and sent him to find out, if possible, 
 whether these ornaments had been offered for sale 
 or pawned near by. 
 
 In two hours' time he returned, saying that he 
 had found them at a pawnshop, and the shopman 
 said the trinkets had been brought by a woman 
 answering to the description of the cook's daughter- 
 in-law. The poor old woman was much distressed 
 at the trouble which had been caused, and redeemed 
 the ornaments with her own wages. Pomegranate's 
 character was cleared from the terrible charge of 
 theft, and her friends rejoiced with her. 
 
CHAPTER XXI 
 
 Plans for the Future 
 
 OLD Mrs. Fan was sitting in the doorway 
 of her cave at Chen-chia-kou, stitching a 
 pair of socks for her husband. Her eyes 
 were dim, and the stitches were large, but she 
 could still sew the soles firmly, and keep her 
 husband neat. 
 
 Fan-ta-yie came slowly up the path with a bucket 
 of water, and he sighed as he set it down and 
 straightened his back. 
 
 " I'm getting old, mother," he said ; " it is as 
 much as I can do to fetch water for you." 
 
 " Pomegranate will soon be home from school," 
 said his wife ; "I shall be glad of her help this 
 winter, too." 
 
 " I'm troubled about the child," said the old man. 
 " When we are gone what will become of her ? " 
 
 " Her mother does not want her, I know," said 
 
 Mrs. Fan. " Su-ta-yie's son said he saw her with 
 
 173 
 
174 Pomegranate 
 
 her second husband in the spring, and she has 
 
 five other children now, and is very poor. She 
 
 will not want Pomegranate." 
 
 " No ; and besides we must not let the child go 
 
 back into heathen ways. I think the best plan will 
 
 be to betroth her into a Christian family," said 
 
 Fan-ta-yie. 
 
 " How do the Christians arrange betrothals ? " 
 
 asked his wife. " Do they employ a middle-man in 
 
 the usual way ? " 
 
 " We must inquire ; I do not know how it is 
 done. But we made a mistake over Beauty's 
 wedding, and we must do better for Pomegranate," 
 said the old man. 
 
 " I might go along and consult Mrs. Wang," 
 said his wife. " She is sure to know the way the 
 Christians arrange these things." 
 
 So presently Mrs. Fan took her sewing and 
 crossed the road to the schoolhouse. The busy 
 hum of the pupils repeating their lessons came from 
 the open door. Mr. Wang was sitting at his table 
 overseeing the work, while his wife was busy in 
 the little cave-kitchen close by. Winter-flower, her 
 daughter, was proudly nursing the baby. He was 
 a chubby little fellow, and looked very fat in his 
 wadded clothes ; his sister could hardly clasp her 
 arms round him. 
 
Plans' for the Future 175 
 
 " Come and sit down, Mrs. Fan," said Pearl 
 cheerily. 
 
 " You are busy ; I am interrupting you," said 
 Mrs. Fan. 
 
 " No, it is not near supper-time yet ; I was only 
 warming a little millet-broth for the children." She 
 brought a bowl of broth for Mrs. Fan, and gave the 
 children a hot drink ; then she brought out her 
 sewing and sat down on a straw mat beside the 
 stool on which Mrs. Fan was seated. 
 
 " When does school break up ? " asked the old 
 woman, 
 
 " On the twelfth of next month," answered 
 Mrs. Wang. " My husband and I will start away 
 on the thirteenth, I expect." 
 
 " They will be glad to see you at home," said 
 Mrs. Fan. 
 
 " We are not going home direct," said Pearl ; " a 
 friend of mine has asked us to stay with her for a 
 few days. They have a wedding in the family on 
 the fifteenth, and are expecting a great many 
 guests." 
 
 " Oh, whose family is that ? " asked Mrs. Fan. 
 
 " It is a family named Sung. My friend is 
 married to the eldest son, and now the second 
 son is going to marry Mary, daughter of a 
 Christian named Chao," answered Pearl. 
 
176 Pomegranate 
 
 " Pomegranate talked of a schoolfellow named 
 Mary ; is it the same ? " 
 
 " Yes, no doubt it is the same. She has been at 
 Miss Lander's school for four years, and is a good 
 scholar. The bridegroom is a pupil of Mr. Davis'. 
 It will be a happy wedding, as they both are 
 Christians," said Pearl. 
 
 " I want to ask you about Christian betrothals," 
 said Mrs. Fan. " Who undertakes the office of 
 middle-man ? " 
 
 " The pastor is generally consulted," said Pearl. 
 " He knows all the families of the Christians, and 
 can generally arrange a suitable match. Are you 
 thinking of bespeaking a mother-in-law for Pome- 
 granate ? " 
 
 " Her grandfather and I are getting old," said 
 Mrs. Fan, " and if we should die the child should 
 have some one responsible to look to ; but 
 we did not know how to set about a Christian 
 betrothal." 
 
 " The pastor is visiting in this district next week ; 
 shall we ask him to preach here next Sunday? 
 Then you would have an opportunity of seeing him 
 about the matter," said Pearl. 
 
 Just then the scholars left the school with noisy 
 shouts, and ran home up the valley. Mr. Wang 
 strolled across the yard, and picked up his baby, 
 
Plans for the Future 
 
 177 
 
 Tsung-shan, setting Winter-flower free to play with 
 the younger pupils before supper. 
 
 Pearl rose, and began to prepare the evening meal. 
 She told her husband of Mrs. Fan's errand, and he 
 heartily agreed to invite the pastor to Chen-chia-kou. 
 
 All this M^as done without consulting Pomegranate, 
 for in China the marriage of the sons and daughters 
 is the business of the parents, and the father is not 
 considered to have fulfilled his duty towards his 
 children until they are all engaged at least. In 
 heathen families, tiny infants are often betrothed ; 
 and large sums of money are paid for wives, so that 
 they are really bought like slaves. In Christian 
 communities the parents still arrange marriages, but 
 not until the young people are old enough for their 
 characters and dispositions to be known ; and the 
 dowry is fixed at a low sum, only sufficient to cover 
 the wedding expenses. Social custom still forbids 
 young people of both sexes to meet together, so 
 that no opportunity exists for them to get to know 
 one another before marriage. 
 
 The pastor came, and when the services of the 
 day were over, he was invited to supper at Mr. Fan's 
 home. Teacher Wang accompanied him. 
 
 When the meal was ended, Mr. Fan said, " We 
 have invited you here to-day. Pastor, because we 
 want to ask your assistance in a small matter." 
 12 
 
178 Pomegranate 
 
 " What affair have you to arrange ? " asked the 
 pastor, who was accustomed to settle quarrels, 
 arrange disputes, and advise in various difficulties. 
 
 " We desire to bespeak a mother-in-law for my 
 grandchild. Pomegranate," said Mr. Fan. " I am 
 inexperienced in Christian ways, and shall be glad 
 of your help." 
 
 " How old is your granddaughter ? " asked the 
 pastor. 
 
 " She is nearly thirteen," was the reply. 
 
 " You do not expect a large sum for her, do you ? 
 The rules of the Church forbid more than a small 
 present," said the pastor. 
 
 " All I desire is a good Christian home for the 
 child," replied Mr. Fan. " I do not want any 
 money, beyond what will buy her outfit, and I can 
 give a little furniture for the home when she is 
 married ; but that will not be for years yet." 
 
 " Do you know the family Chao, living in the 
 village of the Yellow Rat ? " 
 
 " I met a man of that name when I took 
 Pomegranate to school once," said Mr. Fan. " He 
 was escorting an elder scholar named Mary." 
 
 " Yes, that is the man I mean ; his daughter is 
 to be married into the Sung family on the fifteenth 
 of next month," said the pastor. " Mr. Chao has a 
 son of about thirteen or fourteen. He is not a 
 
Plans for the Future 179 
 
 brilliant scholar, but has read for three years in a 
 village school, and his father intends that he shall 
 be a farmer." 
 
 "Mr. Chao is a man of very high character," 
 said Wang-tien-en. " I have known him for some 
 years — ever since I became a Christian, in fact. His 
 wife is a woman of mild temper, and is a very good 
 manager. Pomegranate would be fortunate to have 
 her for a mother-in-law." 
 
 " If you wish, I can speak to Mr. Chao," said the 
 pastor. 
 
 " I want to do what is best for the child, and I 
 will take your advice," said Fan-ta-yie; "but I 
 should like to know the man before anything is 
 settled." 
 
 " Certainly," said the pastor, " we Christians like 
 to have these matters settled face to face,, and there 
 is no likelihood of a mistake. Mr. Chao will be at 
 the wedding on the fifteenth. Can you not come to 
 the market-town close by, and I will send a man to 
 call you if Mr. Chao is willing to consider the 
 engagement ? " 
 
 So it was arranged ; and Mr. Fan and his wife felt 
 that they were taking the right steps to provide for 
 Pomegranate's future. 
 
 Meanwhile the little girl was working steadily at 
 her lessons as the end of the year drew near, bringing 
 
i8o Pomegranate 
 
 examinations closer day by day. The teachers were 
 busy revising the year's work, and the missionaries 
 were preparing papers of questions. 
 
 Mary and some of the elder girls were feeling sad 
 that their happy schooldays were nearly over. The 
 younger children were full of excitement at the 
 prospect of holidays and New Year festivities. 
 
 The little break at Christmas-time was enjoyed 
 by every one ; and Pomegranate appreciated her gifts, 
 and the happy day, as Kai-hsin-mei hoped she 
 would. 
 
 " I will really try to please Jesus every day," she 
 told her friend. " I love Him more and more, now 
 that I have heard so much about His love for me." 
 
 " I am so glad you have made up your mind," 
 said Kai-hsin-mei. " Be sure you remember to pray 
 every day, night and morning, and ask Jesus to help 
 you, because Satan will try to make you do wrong, 
 and he is cleverer than you are." 
 
 "I do lose my temper quickly," said Pomegranate, 
 sadly ; " and sometimes I don't want to speak the 
 truth, and I am lazy too." 
 
 " Jesus is able to help you to conquer every kind 
 of sin," said Kai-hsin-mei. " Do not forget that He 
 is always near you, and knows when you pray even 
 if you do not speak aloud." 
 
 Kai-hsin-mei's friendship was a great help to the 
 
Plans for the Future i8i 
 
 younger girl ; and the term closed without any 
 further trouble for Pomegranate. 
 
 The result of the examinations was very satis- 
 factory, as the marks gained were above the average. 
 Pomegranate did not get a prize, but she took a 
 good place in class, and was encouraged by a special 
 word of commendation from Miss Lander. 
 
 She went home at the end of her first year in the 
 city school, with a new ideal of what life ought to be, 
 determined to help her grand-parents, and full of 
 good resolutions for the future. Best of all, she had 
 taken Jesus as her Master, and was trusting to His 
 help to conquer the faults which had marred her 
 character hitherto. 
 
 MORGAN AND SCOTT LTD., LONDON, ENGLAND